2,200 disabled hit by welfare reforms

Almost 2,300 disability claimants across Oldham could be stripped of their benefits to help slash the national bill by £2.24billion.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is set to be replaced with Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Nationally, the Government believes about 500,000 claimants in receipt of the benefit will no longer be eligible — a 15 per cent reduction. The change would affect 2,287 Oldhamers.

A total of 14,640 Oldham claimants of DLA receive £20-£125 a week to help them look after themselves, pay for help and get out of the house. Under the reforms, two million would be reassessed in the next four years; only those considered in need of support would qualify.

The reforms could see disabled people without limbs, including ex-servicemen and women, no longer entitled to disability benefits — everyday mobility is not generally undermined by prosthetic limbs.

Oldham has seen a 26 per cent increase in claimants since 2002, when 11,610 received the payment.

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