Derby man on PIP says ‘the stigma around benefits is just wrong’

“The stigma around ‘benefit scroungers’ gets my hackles up,” says Julian Neale, who had to give up his job of 35 years after his sight became impaired.

Mr Neale, from Littleover, Derby, had his driving licence revoked in 2015 due to his eyesight deteriorating, which meant he could not work as a mechanic.

He went on to apply for about 1,000 other jobs over a five-year period, without success, and says he found the benefits system unsupportive as he waited six years to start receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

He has welcomed Tuesday’s government announcement aimed at changing the benefits system – with Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall saying the overhaul will create a system to encourage people to take up jobs, while protecting those who cannot work.

Mr Neale sees the overhaul of the system as a positive one, adding: “People with severe conditions where they are not going to be reassessed, I think that is only going to be a good thing, and they are not fearful of the future.”

He added: “When it comes to face-to-face assessments, that is a bonus because when you are talking to somebody over the phone, they don’t necessarily see the difficulties you have.”

PIP payments are designed to help people with long-term physical or mental health conditions.

Assessments focus on how capable someone is of living independently and use a series of questions about daily activities.

Sources told the BBC the measures to be announced would still be difficult and restricting who qualifies for PIP was likely to concern some Labour MPs.

Nearly a third of those who received Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in childhood had claims for PIP rejected when trying to move to the adult benefit, BBC analysis has found.

Disability charity Scope said a “complex, adversarial and difficult to navigate” system contributed to the rejections.

Three-quarters of those deemed ineligible for PIP had failed the DWP’s points-based assessment, according to BBC analysis.

While appeals can be lodged and some people do receive higher awards under PIP than DLA, the BBC heard of young people refused benefits despite the significant impact of their disabilities on daily life.

Mr Neale, 57, told BBC Radio Derby his “life took a dip in 2015” when he lost his driving licence because of his eyesight.

“When people start saying about ‘benefit scroungers’, which invariably comes up a lot of the time, my hackles go up.

“I am one of these people who use benefits and feel very aggrieved by that label.

“It was then another four years before I got a label to be registered as blind – or severely sight impaired, as it says on the ticket I have got – which then enabled me to access support.

“It then took me another two years to claim PIP, so we are talking six years from when my life started taking a dip.

“Bearing in mind I am a mechanic by trade – nobody wants a blind mechanic, especially one who can’t drive.”

He added: “Let’s overhaul the benefits system, but let’s make it more supportive because I had six years in the wilderness where my wife was the only earner in my house.”

Kendall said she wanted to ensure those on universal credit with the “most severe disabilities and health conditions that will never improve” would not be reassessed “to give them the confidence and dignity they deserve”.

The move is aimed at saving £5bn in 2030.

She said the government would “fundamentally overhaul” the DWP safeguarding approach to protect and support the most vulnerable.

The government also wants more face-to-face assessments.