Government won't appeal against PIP ruling
The Government has today announced that it will not be appealing a High Court decision that will entitle more than 160,000 people with mental health problems to extra support from Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
In February 2017, the Government introduced regulations that limited the amount of support that people who struggle to make journeys because of psychological distress could get through PIP.
At the time the Government said that people in this group had fewer support needs than other disabled people who struggle to make journeys, even if their mental health problems actually prevented them from leaving the house alone.
Following a challenge brought by Public Law Project and their client RF, the High Court found that this was ‘blatantly discriminatory’ against people with mental health problems and ‘cannot be objectively justified’. Mind intervened in the challenge alongside the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind, said:
"We are delighted that the Government has decided not to appeal the High Court's ruling. This is the right decision. More than 160,000 people will now be able to access support which could make the difference between whether or not people can get to work or appointments, see friends and family and live independent lives.
“We now need to see the Government make sure that everyone affected by this decision can access the support that they should have been entitled to all along. This announcement is a victory for people with mental health problems. It upholds the principle that PIP should look at the impact your condition has on your life, rather than the kind of condition you have. We’ll continue to campaign for a welfare system that helps people with mental health problems stay well and live independently.”
