Meeting Parkinson's UK at Labour Conference
Peter Dowd MP has given his support to Parkinson’s UK’s calls for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and cost of living payments to better support people living with Parkinson’s.
Parkinson’s is a complex, fluctuating and degenerative neurological condition affecting around 153,000 people in the UK. Shockingly, the rate at which initial negative PIP decisions for people with the condition are overturned is, on average, 10% higher than for people with other conditions.
Peter met with Parkinson's UK at the Labour party conference to discuss the charity’s solutions on how to improve PIP for people with the condition. Currently, the PIP eligibility criteria doesn’t reflect the reality of living with a long-term, degenerative condition like Parkinson’s.
He heard from members of the Parkinson’s community about their experiences navigating the DWP system. Some are left unable to afford what they need to live well with Parkinson’s, a challenge compounded by the cost of living crisis.
They discussed how Parkinson’s has more than 40 symptoms and how everyone’s experience of the condition is different, making it unpredictable and hard for those who are unfamiliar with it, like benefit assessors or DWP decision makers to understand.
They also discussed the disproportionate impact of the cost of living crisis on people with the condition.
The charity also told Mr Dowd that the DWP has failed people living with Parkinson’s, who need extra support for disability-related costs, for a decade. The charity believes the UK Government can and should improve PIP for people with Parkinson’s by:
Revising the PIP descriptors so that they better reflect the reality of living with a long-term, degenerative condition like Parkinson’s, to ensure those with extra disability-related costs get the support they need
Ensuring all assessment staff and DWP decision makers are comprehensively and trained on Parkinson’s and how it affects a person's day to day living. Training provided must be co-created with people with Parkinson’s.
Peter Dowd MP:
“Listening to Caroline and Time talk about these issues shows that we have a long way to go to ensure they get the support they need.
“As a result of this meeting with Parkinson’s UK, I have committed to raise Parkinson’s issues on the floor of the House to show my continued support for my constituents, and the wider Parkinson’s community.”
Laura Cockram, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Parkinson’s UK:
“We want to thank Mr Dowd for speaking to us about issues that people living with Parkinson’s face, including the barriers they face navigating the PIP system and pledging to support their constituents affected by the condition in Bootle.
“Many people with Parkinson’s are living in fear of how they will manage the cost of living and their condition. With the support of PIP, many people with Parkinson’s can, and do, remain independent, stay in work and so are able to maximise their income.
“We hope our discussions with Mr Dowd at the Labour party conference will take us one step closer to improving the lives of people with Parkinson’s.”
Parkinson’s UK also discussed that, while the whole UK population experiences spiralling costs, people with Parkinson’s are hit harder than most by the cost of living crisis as people with the condition can be rendered immobile if their homes aren’t warm enough.
To find out more about Parkinson’s UK visit www.parkinsons.org.uk
To read Parkinson’s UK’s “Nowhere Near Enough” report visit www.parkinsons.org.uk/news/cost-living-support-payments-are-nowhere-near-enough
