Amy Winehouse’s mother pleaded with Boris Johnson to end the “disgusting” treatment of disabled welfare claimants today.
Janis Winehouse delivered a 21,000-signature petition to Downing Street, with campaigners demanding action from the Prime Minister.
They are calling on Mr Johnson to fix the process for claiming Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
The benefit, which replaces Disability Living Allowance, is designed to help with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability.
But there are concerns about the assessment process and the complexity of forms.
Mrs Winehouse, who has secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, said she wanted to “support the people living with MS whose voices still aren’t being heard”.
(Image: Getty Images)
The late singer’s mother added: “Some of my closest friends have been through the exhausting and demoralising process of claiming PIP and it can’t go on any longer.
“MS is relentless, painful and disabling, and right now PIP is costing many people their independence rather than giving it to them.”
After handing over the petition on her 65th birthday, she blasted how “disgusting it is” that applicants are interviewed by people “with no knowledge of the condition”.
While she has not personally suffered difficulties with PIP, her friends have seen “absolute horrors”.
Ms Winehouse urged the PM: “Please help us – get the Health Minister to listen and understand what we are saying.”
MS Society head of campaigns Jonathan Blades said: “The UK’s welfare system is in crisis, leaving thousands of disabled people suffering as a result.
“A process that was designed to protect society’s most vulnerable is now too often doing the opposite.
“More than 100,000 of us live with MS in the UK, and we need common-sense changes to PIP now so people can get the basic support they need.
“This doesn’t require a lengthy consultation or elusive Green Paper – just decisions backed up by evidence, and assessments carried out by professionals with good knowledge of the condition.
“We hope the Prime Minister will read this letter carefully, and understand the impact these deeply flawed assessments are having. It’s about time we had a benefits process people can trust.”
A Department of Work and Pensions said the Government was spending an extra £84million a year on PIP and DLA compared to a decade ago.
“We will do more to help PIP claimants by introducing a minimum reassessment period and we’ve scrapped unnecessary reviews for pensioners and those with the highest needs,” he added.
“Our planned Green Paper will go further as we continue to improve the experience for people with long-term health conditions and disabilities.”
