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Concern grows over DLA future
By Sunil Peck
Fears that
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is under threat have escalated among
disabled people as the Government refuses to rule out using the money
to fund the social care system.
In July the Government published a green paper that included a proposal to pile Attendance Allowance into a pot of money that would be allocated to local authorities to fund support services.
But activists and disability groups fear that DLA could also be integrated into the general care funding pot.
In an interview with Disability Now, the care services minister Phil Hope, while recognising the importance of DLA as a non-means-tested universal benefit, did not rule out the possibility of integration.
He said: “In any kind of development of a new system there’s a case for drawing some funding streams together to deliver a new and a better care and support system.”
But in an email to Disability Now, one reader wrote: “For many of us the care component of DLA is a lifeline, along with Attendance Allowance (AA). I wonder how many people don’t use DLA/AA to pay for the extra expenses of being ill or disabled? I suspect there are very few.
“The Government seems upset that it doesn’t know or control how we’re using the money, so it wants to give it to councils so everyone can see who gets what and for what.”
Debbie George, a disabled activist from Cornwall who helped start a campaign at the website politicalcripple.com to protect DLA, urged disabled people to protest.
She said that DLA was a vital benefit for disabled people because the eligibility criteria for social care support are so restrictive.
She said: “Without DLA, I wouldn’t be able to pay for the wheelchair I need or the care I need to socialise and lead an independent life. I wouldn’t be able to afford the special shoes I need.”
Sue Bott, director of the National Centre for Independent Living, said that she could understand why disabled people were so concerned.
But she added that she would be “amazed” if politicians abolished DLA because it would be such an unpopular measure to take.
Neil Coyle, Director of Policy at the Disability Alliance, said his discussions with the Government indicated that there were no plans to abolish DLA. But he urged disabled people to write to their MP to explain how DLA gives them control and choices in meeting their own needs which might disappear if local authorities became responsible for administering how it was spent.
Meanwhile, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) reported that it had received assurances from officials in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that there were no plans to abolish DLA.
The DWP was unable to confirm the CPAG’s story by the time Disability Now went to press. The consultation period lasts until November.
DLA
Date 11/08/10
Re Claim for Disability Living Allowance WE487930C
To Dear (sic) who this may concern???
You are wrong in not paying me this allowance, I am still unable to walk far I keep my electric mobility scooter in my car and use it when I have to go out shopping etc, my ability to stand and or walk has quite consistently been far worse than pre the collapse / degeneration in my lumbar (spine).
I have constant pains in my feet legs hips & back. Also frequent bouts of pain and stiffness in my neck, (clicking crunching in the joints).
both of my thumbs have substantially worsened in the last two years
(opening jars containers etc causes considerably pain) I have an appointment with my GP and intend to ask him to refer me to a hospital consultant; My GP has said that surgery could be an option, to set my thumbs to reduce movement and therefore pain.
my 84 year old mother can and still does run rings around me (even with her arthritic hips & Knees )
without this allowance I could no longer afford to drive / use my car, the bus service in my village would not give me much use as I wouldn’t necessarily be able to get my scooter on it, the bus stop is a very long walk for me to get to some days it would be further than I could walk.
I have just lost my wife through breast cancer and suffer extreme bouts of depression, I frequently wake at night confused / delusional that my wife is still with me i.e. able to feel her lying by me and have recently started to hear a voice whilst in bed, I guess I should starve and /or commit suicide to decrease this countries burden, so that my government can continue to waste money hand over fist on tax credits (working Family and the like) my income is a small pension from my wife’s employer a small one in my name and as yet ESA, which no doubt you would like also to take away,
some days I may be able to do some work, mostly my strength, energy, for the day is soon used up. I take an extensive amount of medication Pain relief, 8 Tramadol, 4 Naproxsan, 1 Amitriptyline up to 8 Paracetamol, use tens machine and frankly would try anything to have some time without pain also taking Omeprazole to protect my stomach, Fluoxetine to help with depression, I further take Propranadol to reduce how stressed I am
I have to manage my home and personal care this takes most of my energy.
Up and until I stopped working I had been in employment from school (leaving there in 1975 until finishing work approximately six years ago when I had to give up i.e. approximately thirty years of continual employment.
I unlike many people on benefits worked and paid into my countries tax system knowing / hoping that if I wasn’t able to continue working that my country would at least be prepared to shoulder i.e. some responsibility /care for me if I became unable to look after myself.
Humbug with knobs on
Yours most annoyed
Ps how can you change a previous decision made two years ago as stated in your first paragraph, I still should get this allowance as I fall easily within the category of virtually unable to walk considering distance, speed, manner & time able to walk without severe discomfort, disallowing me from this Allowance is a attach on my disability therefore is discrimination and unlawful
Mr J M Packett
Copy to
Mobilise,
Disability Now,
South Today News,
Meridian,
Local MP,