Help Save Disability Benefits

A government green paper has revealed proposals to stop paying and hand the cash over to social services instead.

Under the plan, current claimants would have their disability benefits converted to a ‘personal budget’ administered by local authorities and used to pay for services – not to spend as they wish.

Once the green paper consultation period ends, if an almighty row has not been raised, it is likely that both major political parties will see the lack of outrage as a green light to end both Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance.

You are strongly urged to sign the petition to maintain DLA and AA on the No 10 website, posted on 7 September by Peter Hand of Mencap. The deadline for signing the petition is 07 December 2009.

If these benefits are axed, it is likely that many thousands of disabled people, who rely on these benefits, will be plunged into severe poverty.

You can sign the petition here:

petitions.number10.gov.uk/A...

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Can i point out that this is just the care part of disability living allowance. It would not affect people on the mobility part.

I personally think it is a good idea as i get care money but cannot get any help with care as they cannot pay people to do it. I think it is about time they paid more people to care for the people who need care. Rather than us having to find and pay our own people to care for us.

Plumie

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I also get the care component of DLA. However, I am doubtful that I would get any help from the local authority at all. The amount I get is significantly less than it would cost to pay someone to help me. As welfare reform policy is clearly about cutting benefits and saving money, I believe (as many others do) that significant numbers of people will be left without help and without the additional money to pay for the extra expenses that their disabilities cause in their daily lives.

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Been reading more into this topic and on the 22nd oct 2009 the secatary of state of health said that the DLA for under 65's will not be affected by the governments plans to recreate national care service.

For more information go on the careandsupport.direct.gov.uk website.

PLumie

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Hi, Bex already alerted us to issues regarding DLA some weeks ago now, so many of us signed up to the Works and Benefits Website to be kept undated. Personally I have found Disability Alliance to be very helpful about this subject and have followed this subject via their website.

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It is really difficult to know what to believe. The news from the Benefits and Work website on 20 October was this:

Lord McKenzie of Luton, the parliamentary under secretary of state for work and pensions, was asked last week in a House of Lords debate which disability benefits the government are ‘considering integrating into the wider social care budget in England’.

Lord McKenzie replied:

“At this stage, we do not want to rule out any options and so are considering all disability benefits.”

I can only hope that what the Secretary of State has said since then is more accurate.

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Thank you Katina, i knew i remebered being told about the disablity benefits before.