Extra 20,000 to Lose Mobility Component of DLA - UK Disability News

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Margaret Curran MP for Glasgow East and Shadow Minister for Disabilities has expressed deep concern after the Government admit that an extra 20,000 individuals in residential care will lose their mobility component of Disability Living Allowance with the total affected now standing at 80,000.

In response to a written parliamentary question tabled by Margaret Curran[1], the Minister for Disabilities acknowledged that the previous estimate of 60,000 was wrong and in fact a further 20,000 individuals stood to lose their DLA as a result of the decision to take away the mobility component to those in residential care.

Margaret Curran MP says:

"Labor have been clear from the outset that the decision to remove the mobility component of disability living allowance to those in residential care is a deeply unfair and cruel cut that will stop many individuals from being able to visit family and friends, thereby effectively making them prisoners in their own home.

"I am deeply concerned that the Government have since updated their forecasts on the number of people that will lose their benefit as a result of this change, and there are now very real worries amongst disability organizations that the Government simply do not get it and are not on top of the all facts about who this cut will actually affect.

"As we have said before, this is a decision that owes nothing to welfare reform and everything to welfare cuts and I would urge the Government to think again before they go ahead with this unfair cut."

(1) Margaret Curran (Glasgow East): To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his most recent estimate is of the number of people who will be affected by the implementation of his proposals to remove the mobility component of disability living allowance in 2014-15 (29066)

Mrs Maria Miller:

We estimate that approximately 80,000 people who claim Disability Living Allowance and live in residential care will be affected by the measure to cease paying the mobility component in Great Britain from October 2012.

Accurate estimates of the number of people who claim Disability Living Allowance and live in residential care are difficult to produce because before 1998 there was no requirement to record entry or exit dates in to residential care.

The available evidence has been updated in light of new information on the status of care home residents who entered residential care before 1998. We subsequently updated our estimate of the number of people affected by the measure.

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