Inverness woman with multiple sclerosis (MS) has hit out at the “degrading” benefits assessment process
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A woman diagnosed with relapsing MS in 2016 claims the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment has failed her.
Emma Townsend was assessed for PIP during a home visit by a neurological nurse, but was surprised that her condition was not taken into consideration.
Ms Townsend felt everything was treated as “being black and white” and the fact MS is a fluctuating condition, and affects her differently every day, was not acknowledged in her assessment.
She said: “Quite frankly, my report didn’t reflect my MS and it was degrading. The report just seemed to suggest that if you look OK then you must be fine. I was being told that because I held eye contact, for instance, I wasn’t depressed.”
Ms Townsend said she was dreading having to go through the same process in two years and her experience with the PIP system reflected those of others across Scotland also living with MS.
She said: “Life doesn’t stop when you have MS but PIP makes it feel as though it should – that if you want to receive any kind of support you shouldn’t be doing anything for yourself. You’re penalised for trying to live your life.
“In that way it feels like PIP, something that’s meant to support you, actually limits your independence.”
More than 15,000 people live with MS in Scotland and nearly one in six will lose out on PIP support because of the 20 metre rule which states people who can walk one step over 20m do not need the highest rate of mobility.
Morna Simpkins, the director of MS Society Scotland, said: “We welcome commitments by the Scottish Government to reform the assessment system when it becomes devolved but it is essential that the 20-metre rule is scrapped to ensure that people with MS get the support they need.
“MS can be painful and exhausting, it shouldn’t be made harder by a welfare system that doesn’t make sense.”
A DWP spokesman said: “We are spending £84 million more a year on PIP and DLA for claimants with MS compared to 10 years ago. Under PIP, 52 per cent of MS claimants receive the highest level of support.
“We will do more to help PIP claimants by introducing a minimum reassessment period and we’ve scrapped unnecessary reviews for those with the highest needs.
“Our planned Green Paper will go further as we continue to improve the experience for people with long term health conditions and disabilities.”
