DWP shares PIP plans for people with back, joint, and muscle health conditions
DWP shares PIP plans for people with back, joint, and muscle health conditions
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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently revealed new plans to support people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions as part of its shake-up to Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Earlier this month, the benefits department announced that people with musculoskeletal conditions will be treated "quicker" to help them get back into work as part of the Government’s new "Get Britain Working" white paper.
According to a report by Daily Record, as part of the government's plan to tackle "economic inactivity", 17 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across England will share part of a £3.5million package to improve care services for musculoskeletal conditions. According to the latest DWP figures, at the end of October 2024, more than 1.1 million people in England and Wales were receiving PIP for MSK conditions.
PIP - which is paid every four weeks - is made up of two components - a daily living rate and a mobility rate - and you can be entitled to both or just one of these. These components are then split again into the standard rate and the enhanced rate and from April they will be rising like other DWP benefits. Currently, the lower rate for the Daily Living component sits at £72.65 a week - rising to £73.90 from April. The higher rate is currently £108.55 a week and will be rising to £110.40 in April. The lower rate for the mobility element sits at £28.70, rising to £29.20 a week, and the higher rate is £75.75 a week, rising to £77.05 a week in April. It's also important to note that PIP is not an out-of-work benefit - and you can claim the extra cash if you have a job. The goal of the benefit is to support with the extra costs that comes with having a medical condition or health disability.
The funding - called the MSK Community Delivery Programme - will be delivered through NHS England's Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) programme. Each area in England and Wales - but not Scotland - is set to receive up to £300,000 to improve services. This includes developing more efficient ways of treating patients, getting them off waiting lists and getting them into employment. Several of the 17 ICB locations spearheading the delivery of this programme also host NHS England’s Further Faster 20 programme and the UK Government’s recently announced WorkWell programme.
Minister for Employment Alison McGovern MP, said: “For too long, people locked out of work with health issues have been forgotten about and denied the support they need to get well and get working. It’s stifling our economy and preventing those eager to progress in life from unleashing their full potential. “This multi-million-pound funding boost means musculoskeletal patients across the country will get the help they need, as we give clinical leaders the resources to innovate, get people off waiting lists and get Britain working again.”.
According to government figures, more than nine million people in the UK are classed as "economically inactive." This term describes someone who is not working or looking for work. Alongside this, 2.8million people are out of work due to long-term sickness. Mental health issues are listed as the main health reasons behind PIP claims, followed by MSK, with around 646,000 people - around 1 in 4 (23%) - saying MSK was their "primary condition". Waiting lists for MSK services are also some of the highest, with 348,799 people waiting for treatment in England in September 2024 alone.
Minister for Public Health and Prevention Andrew Gwynne added: “With prevention, early detection and treatment, we know that the 17 million people with musculoskeletal issues in England could better manage their conditions, improving their quality of life and enabling them to rejoin the workforce. Through the Plan for Change, the government is taking decisive action to drive down waiting lists, improve treatment options and boost the economy.”.
