Benefits:why we need to make changes

Benefits changes are being planned by the Government, with fears that a new “Personal Independence Payment” (PIP) could mean up to 3,000 people across Oldham losing out. In May we reported how campaigners say the scrapping of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) could have a devastating impact. Here Maria Miller, the Minister for Disabled People, writes exclusively for the Chronicle to explain why the Government is making changes.

Maria Miller says there are 14,500 people in Oldham receiving DLA, an increase of 24 per cent over the last eight years, at an annual cost of £52.5million.

Nationally, the £12billion a year spent on DLA is more than the entire transport budget for the country.

She went on: “If you or someone in your family is disabled then I know that you may have concerns about what welfare reform means for you.

“I want to reassure people reading this in Oldham that this government is absolutely committed to supporting disabled people.

“We are more determined then ever to help disabled people live independent lives and we continue to spend more than £40 billion a year on disabled people and services — this includes £12bn on Disability Living Allowance (DLA), which is more than the entire transport budget for this country.

“But we also need to face up to the fact that the current benefit system is not always reaching those who need it most.

“It can’t be right, for instance, that more people get £51.40 per week, the higher rate mobility, of DLA for drug and alcohol abuse than for blindness.

“DLA has to work better to reach the disabled people who need it. That’s why we will replace it with a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) that will help to ensure people get the right levels of support.

“I want to be absolutely clear that this will continue to be a non means tested cash benefit, paid in and out of work and will continue to help disabled people with the extra mobility and care costs they incur.

“If you’ve been through a Work Capability Assessment and are on Incapacity Benefit or Employment and Support Allowance then you may feel anxious about the new assessment for PIP and I understand your concerns.

The WCA assessment that we inherited didn’t work as it should and some disabled people have felt let down by that. We have worked hard to put this right and have made a series of important changes to improve it.

“But we need to have a proper system of assessment for PIP so that we can be sure people are getting the money they should be.

“The way DLA works at the moment means that disabled people lose out on around £200m a year in underpayments.

“The new payment will be awarded following a more objective and transparent assessment process, which we are developing with the help of disability organisations.

“Our new DLA proposals will also include reassessments over time — something that is lacking under the current system —to ensure everyone receives the correct amount as their needs change.

“But our reforms are more than just changes to benefits. It can’t be right that a lot of disabled people still feel like their choices are a life on benefits or a job that doesn’t make use of their skills. When I talk to disabled people what I hear lots is that they want us to help level the playing field so that there is real opportunity and choice to get the jobs they want or the support they need.

“That’s why we will carry on spending on programmes like Access to Work.

“This helps disabled people with things like travel costs to work or specialist equipment or adaptations to their work place. We spend around £100m a year on Access to Work — helping more people than ever before to get into and stay in work.

“We won’t allow the mistakes of the past to be repeated and write disabled people off on benefits.

“The Work Choice programme introduced last October is expected to support many more severely disabled people into work each year than its predecessor programmes and the Work Programme will provide more tailored employment support to disabled people.

“Attitudes to disability and the expectations of disabled people have changed massively in the last 40 years since the Disabled Person’s Act and we need to make sure that both benefits and employment support reflect that.

“I know that change is worrying and I know that people want to be sure the Government is listening.

“I regularly meet with the organisations that took part in the march including Scope, Mencap, Leonard Cheshire Disability, RNIB and Mind. I will continue to work with disabled people and their organisations and listen to their concerns.”




WHAT IT ALL MEANS



DLA will be replaced with PIP, which will continue to be a non-means tested benefit, paid in and out of work, to help disabled people with the extra care and mobility costs they incur.



The Government spends more than £40bn a year on disabled people. The way DLA works at the moment means that disabled people lose out on around £200m a year in underpayments.



The Government will continue to spend about £100m a year on Access to Work to help more people than ever get into work and stay in work.



The Work Choice programme, introduced last October, will provide tailored employment support to disabled people and is expected to support many more severely disabled people into work each year than previous programmes.



The Work Programme will be the biggest welfare to work programme this country has ever seen and will provide the tailored and flexible help disabled people need to get back to work, regardless of the barriers they face.