The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is facing pressure to remove Personal Independence Payment (PIP) eligibility for four conditions branded as "absurd" by Reform UK chairman Lee Anderson MP. The call comes as new figures show half a million people now claim PIP for anxiety, with record numbers receiving disability benefits.
Conditions Under Fire
Mr Anderson highlighted that conditions such as constipation, acne, tennis elbow, and bedwetting should be treated by the NHS rather than funded through the welfare system. He stated: "Of course we must protect those who are genuinely sick and vulnerable, but this surge, driven largely by mental health claims, raises serious questions about how people are being assessed."
Rising Claims Data
Official data reveals that 46 people are claiming disability benefits for bedwetting, up from 40 last year. Additionally, 173 people claim for constipation, 21 for acne vulgaris, 1,690 for eczema, 2,295 for psoriasis, 23 for rosacea, and 442 for tennis elbow. These figures have sparked debate about the appropriateness of such claims.
Political Reactions
Shimeon Lee, policy analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, commented: "Too many people are being funnelled onto long-term benefits when they would be better served by timely treatment and help back into work. Ministers need to get a grip on the welfare bill."
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately MP criticised the government, saying: "Labour have let a sickness benefit crisis spiral out of control. We have a system that's too quick to write people off and too slow to help them into work – and which is costing us a fortune at a time when we must boost Britain's defences." She added: "Instead of helping them into work and independence, our welfare state is signing them off and parking them on benefits. Labour's answer to every problem is to spend more of taxpayer's money and duck the difficult decisions."
