Skip to main content

PIP Fraud is a None Issue New Figures Reveal

Government's Draconian Crackdown on Disabled: A Flawed Focus

The recent announcement by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to intensify its crackdown on disability benefit fraud has sparked widespread criticism from experts and advocacy groups. Under the leadership of Mel Stride, the DWP plans to deploy new legal powers, better data, and additional staff to target what it perceives as rampant fraud within the system. 

However, a closer examination of the statistics and expert opinions reveals that this initiative is not only misguided but also harmful to the disabled community.

PIP Fraud: A Non-Issue

Data from the financial year ending in 2024 unequivocally shows that PIP (Personal Independence Payment) fraud is virtually non-existent, clocking in at 0%. Even Disability Living Allowance (DLA) fraud is negligible at a mere 0.1%.  Mikey Erhardt from Disability Rights UK has long argued that PIP fraud is a non-issue, a sentiment now backed by concrete data. Erhardt criticises the government for diverting its focus towards an almost non-existent problem while ignoring the £15.2 billion concealed by multinational companies in tax havens.

Misplaced Priorities and Financial Disparities

The government's fixation on disability benefit fraud is perplexing, especially when considering the bigger picture. In the same financial year, PIP overpayments amounted to just 0.4%, or £90 million, a significant reduction from the previous year's 1.1% (£200 million). DLA overpayments were similarly low at 0.5%, or £30 million. Contrast these figures with the staggering £3.3 billion in underpayments to benefit claimants last year—the highest level on record. The DWP’s commitment to addressing underpayments is commendable, yet their aggressive stance on fraud appears disproportionate and counterproductive.

Green Party’s Inclusive and Empowering Approach

In stark contrast to the government's punitive measures, the Green Party advocates for a more inclusive and supportive approach towards disability benefits and rights. The Green Party views disability as a social phenomenon resulting from the interaction between people with impairments and societal attitudes and barriers. Their policies emphasise adapting society to enable individuals with impairments, rather than penalising them.


Key Green Party Policies:

1. Inclusive Society: The Green Party supports an inclusive society where disabled people are treated as full citizens with protection against discrimination.

2. Extended Rights: They advocate for extending disability rights beyond employment, encompassing all aspects of life.

3. Economic Empowerment: The party promotes economic empowerment of disabled individuals through income policies and equality in education, training, and employment.

4. Supportive Services: Emphasis is placed on providing services and support that enable full participation in society, including access to elected office.

5. Impact Evaluation: All new policies are evaluated for their impact on promoting equality, including for disabled individuals.

6. Public Awareness: The Green Party proposes public awareness campaigns to highlight the oppression faced by disabled people, developed in collaboration with disabled peoples' groups.

7. Education and Training: Recognising the need for different facilities and approaches for individuals with varying abilities.

8. UN Convention Compliance: Ensuring full enjoyment of rights and freedoms without discrimination, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled Persons.

A Call for Rational Policy Making

The government's current strategy, centered around a misguided crackdown on disability benefit fraud, not only ignores the data but also exacerbates the challenges faced by disabled individuals. Instead of demonising and policing the disabled community, the government should reallocate its resources towards addressing the real issues, such as corporate tax evasion and the systemic underpayment of benefits.

The Green Party’s approach, focusing on inclusivity, support, and empowerment, provides a more compassionate and effective blueprint for policy-making. By adopting a perspective that values and supports disabled individuals, society can move towards true equality and justice, ensuring that no one is left behind.

It is imperative that the government reassesses its priorities and aligns its policies with the actual needs and rights of disabled individuals, rather than perpetuating a narrative of fraud that the data clearly disproves. The time has come for a shift towards fairness, inclusion, and respect for all people, irrespective of their abilities.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Farage's Cruelty-Autism

Farage's Cruelty & Misinformation on Autism: A Call for Compassion and Truth in Autism Awareness Month - by Mark Webster, Disability Officer with The Green Party Telford and Wrekin  As Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month 2025 draws to a close,  the need for understanding, compassion, and factual discussion about autism and the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) system has never been more urgent. Yet, Nigel Farage and Reform UK have chosen this crucial moment to spread harmful and inaccurate narratives about autism diagnosis, compounding stigma and misunderstanding for autistic people and their families across the UK. SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) is a blanket term that refers to conditions or difficulties that make it hard for a person to learn or access education compared to others, such as learning disabilities, physical disabilities, or emotional and behavioral challenges.  Farage’s Harmful Claims In a series of recent statemen...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Wolf in Reformist Clothing

A Wolf in Reformist Clothing: Dissecting the Structural Ableism of Reform UK's SEND "Vision" As a Green Party Disability Officer with three decades of experience, and as a parent who has spent 15 years battling intransigent local authorities for my neurodivergent son, and others, I watched Richard Tice’s press statement with a familiar, corrosive fury. This is not a blueprint for reform. It is a masterclass in the very structural ableism and neoliberal betrayal that has manufactured the SEND crisis. So come with me, and let’s dissect it with the critical eye that it demands. The Insidious Linguistics of Erasure Tice with his core creed: “Nobody's disabled, people are differently abled.” This phrase is not progressive; it is erasure. It is a feel-good, ablest euphemism designed to sanitise the reality of disability in a society structured against us. Disability is not a matter of “different ability”; it is an interaction between impairment and t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Hidden Cost of Caring

Hidden Costs Why Our Family Carers Deserve Better Imagine waking up every day knowing that your entire world revolves around caring for a loved one with disabilities. You’re doing everything you can to keep them safe, comfortable, and loved — often at great personal cost.  Now, consider this: nearly half of parent carers in the UK say their income doesn’t even cover basic needs like food and housing. That’s almost 44%. And if your fridge breaks or your bed falls apart? Over 80% of carers say they couldn’t replace essentials without going into debt or going without. It’s heartbreaking, isn’t it? And yet, these are the everyday realities for millions of families. Many are skipping meals just to make sure their children eat, with over half of parent carers doing so.  Meanwhile, a staggering 93% of families want to work paid jobs, but caring responsibilities make that practically impossible. The emotional toll is equally heavy, with 28% of parent carers likely to be clinically dep...
Post a Comment
Read more