A man who represents people who have been rejected for personal independent payment (PIP) has said he believes the system is fundamentally flawed and “prejudiced” against claimants. Dylan Thomas, 48, who has a background in law and IT and is now a pastor, gives up his time voluntarily to support people in PIP appeals and tribunals who feel too intimidated by the system to pursue beyond the first rejection. Mr Thomas told i he is angered by the huge amount of money wasted arguing over often small amounts, putting people who are already struggling with deteriorating illnesses under undue stress.
He said the new government will urgently need to overhaul the system and condemn the narrative that those on benefits are “spongers”. Mr Thomas, who lives in Somerset, said one of the biggest problems with the PIP assessment system is that assessors only ever get to see claimants on their very best days – prejudicing assessors towards rejecting their claim. “I often attend the primary assessment with claimants,” he said.
“They might be a young person who desperately wants to co-operate. “It might be one day in 100 where they were able to get out of bed and dress themselves. They might have got themselves to the assessment with a lot of assistance and support and a family member may have taken the day off work to support them.
“What the PIP assessor sees is someone on an optimal day and they have no idea how much they have endured to get there. “The 15-minute journe.
