Letters & Briefings

PIP Briefing for Delegated Legislation Committee 5 February 2013

The above document was submitted to members of the committee to inform the debate on 5 February 2013. It focused specifically on the inappropriate distance criteria of 20 metres for the enhanced mobility component of PIP.

 

*****************************************

Submission to HofL Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Cttee re PIP regulations

The above document was submitted to the House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee on 9 January 2013. We hope it will be accepted and used by the committee to highlight our concerns to peers.

 

*****************************************

Initial briefing note on PIP regulations

The above document is an emergency briefing for MP’s and Peers on significant and seriously worrying aspects of the final PIP criteria, especially in relation to the descriptors for people with physical difficulties getting around, which were published by Government in draft regulations on 13 December 2012.

 

*****************************************

Closing the Door on the Law

The above document is a briefing for Lords and Commons Committee debates on the draft Housing Benefit (Amendment) Regulations 2012 debated in the Grand Committee in the House of Lords on 15 October and by the First Delegated Legislation Committee of the House of Commons on 16 October. The briefing highlights the human rights, equalities and well-being implications of the under-occupancy rules (the ‘bedroom tax’). The author hopes to produce a thorough report in due course which will be published on the website like our other reports and publicised as appropriate.

 

 **************************************

Past Caring: Response to Worcestershire County Council’s Maximum Expenditure Policy

Resources for Worcestershire Residents:

Link to Worcestershire’s Maximum Expenditure Policy Consultation Portal:

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/social-care-and-health/contacts-and-publications/maximum-expenditure-policy.aspx

Maximum Expenditure Consultation Document:

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/pdf/01-Maximum-Expenditure-Policy-Consultation-Document.pdf

Template letter to write to Worcestershire councillors and local MP’s:

Worcestershire Councillor or MP template letter

Contacts for Worcestershire County Council Cabinet Members (who will make the final decision on this policy)

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/democratic-services/committees-and-panels/holder/cabinet.aspx#members

In particular, Philip Gretton is in charge of adult social care:

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/councillor-information/county-councillors/philip-gretton1.aspx

Link to contact your own councillor:

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/councillor-information/county-councillors1.aspx

Link to contact your own MP:

http://www.writetothem.com/

 

**************************************

 

Reversing from Recovery: The hidden economic impact of welfare reform

Template letters/emails:

MP or Peer template email

BIS committee member template email

Local newspaper – car industry area – template email

Local newspaper (NOT car industry area) template email

 

****************************************

Government response to Work & Pensions Select Committee’s report on DLA/PIP

Government Response to the Work & Pensions Select Committee’s Seventh Report of Session 2010-12: Government support towards the additional living costs of working-age disabled people (published 18 May 2012)

Detailed proposals for PIP

Letter from Maria Miller, Minister for Disabled People, to MP’s, 16 May 2012

The above letter was written in response to complaints by some Liberal Democrat MP’s that visually impaired people were going to lose out under PIP (see . Whilst it focuses on visual impairment, the letter gives some indicators of what the situation will be for all claimants.

LGIU Policy Unit Briefing: Independent Living

The-Rights-of-Disabled-People-to-Independent-Living LGIU March 2012

Welfare Reform Bill back in the Lords 14 February 2012

Some academic experts helped Sue Marsh write a professional briefing for the Lords in preparation for this afternoon’s debate. She asked them not to let the Commons ignore them.

Sue’s briefing is at Briefing for Peers re Welfare Reform Bill 14 February 2012

Welfare Reform Bill Lords Amendments

The small Spartacus team has quickly pulled together some template letters for you to adapt to your own situation. There are slightly different templates suggested, depending on whether your MP is Conservative, Labour or Liberal Democrat – if your MP comes from a minor party we suggest you use the letter designed for Labour MP’s, as they are not in government.

Conservative MP letter re Lords WRB amendments

Labour MP letter re Lords WRB amendments

LibDem MP letter re Lords WRB amendments

Writing to your MP re DLA/PIP

If you think you’ll be affected by the Government’s proposals for PIP you need to write to your MP to explain your concerns. Ideas for what to put in letters are available on this page.

Suggested letter to MP - this template provides some general paragraphs and suggests how you can personalise the letter to your own situation. It’s good to ask your MP to support  you personally as well as the campaign, as their job is to represent and support you.