Last spring, we expected a consultation on PIP (Personal Independence Payment), which helps cover extra costs of being disabled. Instead, government announced huge cuts to restrict PIP. We pivoted. Our planned skeleton consultation tool we’d built on EN for rapid mobilisation fell by the wayside.
We needed to work at pace or many people with MS could lose up to almost £6000 a year. These weren’t natural proposals from Labour. We knew backbench MPs felt connected and committed to their constituents. We hosted a parliamentary reception sharing constituency insights about PIP to capitalise on political salience, using EN to gather testimony from our community and for campaigners to invite their MPs. 100+ MPs attended with 150+ parliamentarians represented.
From this, the campaign launched to protect PIP as a lifeline not a luxury and got significant press coverage. We used EN email-to-target actions when we knew MPs were wobbling. EN actions were complimented by a postcard action, telephone actions on the day of debates, and asking campaigners to meet MPs in-person, using EN constituency data to segment by party. At the eleventh hour, on third reading, the government removed plans to restrict PIP, announcing a review instead. We don’t claim this win alone – collectively disabled people pressured MPs. But our contribution significant, campaign effective and the MS community was active and vocal. For over 22,000 with MS, and many more disabled people, together we protected PIP.
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