Calls for changes to PIP rules for people with diabetes

A new online petition is calling for changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment standards to better recognise the impact Type 1 diabetes can have on daily life

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A new online petition is urging reforms to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment criteria to better acknowledge how Type 1 diabetes affects everyday living. Over 14,400 individuals have already backed the petition, posted on the Petitions Parliament website, meaning it has now secured the right to a written response from the UK Government.

The petition contends that those living with the condition face a “relentless, 24-hour responsibility” encompassing blood glucose monitoring, insulin management and meticulous planning around diet, physical activity and stress levels, yet frequently fail to meet the criteria for disability benefits.

Launched by Emily Jones, the petition calls on the UK Government to revise PIP assessment criteria to explicitly encompass people with Type 1 diabetes and alleges there is insufficient understanding of the condition which may influence assessment results.

The petition states: “Managing Type 1 Diabetes is a relentless, 24-hour responsibility that requires frequent blood glucose monitoring, insulin adjustments, and careful planning around food, activity, and stress.”

It adds that the demands of managing the condition alongside full-time employment can lead to physical exhaustion and mental burnout, reports the Daily Record. Campaigners argue that broader access to PIP could enable people with Type 1 diabetes to fund technology not routinely supplied by the NHS and assist those who need to cut their working hours due to the condition.

PIP is a benefit designed to assist with the additional costs linked to a long-term health condition or disability. Eligibility is determined by how a person’s condition impacts their daily living and mobility requirements, rather than a particular diagnosis.

This means that having Type 1 diabetes does not automatically entitle someone to PIP, though those with the condition may still receive the benefit if they satisfy the assessment criteria. New figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reveal that at the end of April, some 43,986 people were in receipt of PIP.

The petition remains open for signatures until 2 December and should it reach 100,000 signatures, it would be considered by the Petitions Committee for a parliamentary debate. The petition can be viewed in full on the Petitions Parliament website.