For disabled people like me and thousands of others, the disability living
allowance (DLA) could be described as the glue that holds our lives together.
The higher-rate mobility component, in particular, has provided me with secure
support with my mobility needs since I first claimed, on the advice of my GP, in
1995. But this secure support could all come to an end under personal
independence payment (PIP), which replaces DLA from April 2013.
After all consultation stages on the new benefit
have finished, the government has decided at the last minute to restrict
eligibility to the enhanced mobility component of PIP by excluding those who can
walk more than just 20 metres. In common with many wheelchair users I can still
walk in my own home, and I intend to continue to do so for as long as
possible.
