In light of figures showing 900 disabled people are losing their Motability cars each week (Benefits cuts: are you about to lose a Motability car, scooter or wheelchair? 31 March), I would like to challenge the response of Department of Work and Pensions ministers when they have been pressed on the issue of personal independence payments. They are correct to say more people are on PIP than disability living allowance, but the loss of Motability cars is a result of a reassessment from DLA to PIP (Report, 10 April). The unfair twist for disabled people is that the walking distance for a successful claim has been cut from 50 metres to 20m. So, if a person can walk, say, 30m with a painful prosthetic leg or pushing a walking frame, they are likely to lose their eligibility for a Motability vehicle, even if they have a progressive condition.

Damian Green is muddying the waters by conflating new PIP claims with reassessments. Since 2013, 51,000 people have lost access to Motability vehicles as they have been switched from DLA to PIP, and 126,300 of the 254,200 people who were eligible for funding have lost access. He also says PIP was consulted on extensively. I hope he has read the consultation results. He had over 1,000 replies, practically all of which said 20m was not a fair distance. No wonder so many appeals on PIP reassessments are successful.

Baroness Celia Thomas

Vice-president, Muscular Dystrophy UK and Lib Dem spokesman on disability

• If, as the DWP suggests, there is no crackdown on applicants for PIP, the minister responsible should provide an alternative explanation for the growth in refusals and the high level of successful appeals (Sharp rise in rejected claims for top-up disability benefit, 17 April). If it looks and feels like a crackdown, it probably is – unless a credible alternative emerges.

Lee Bright

Exeter

• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com

• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters