Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his policy is on requiring applications to renew disability living allowance for people with degenerative medical conditions; and what evidence is used by assessors to confirm the degenerative nature of those conditions.

Entitlement to DLA is not based on the diagnosis of a disease or whether a person has a degenerative medical condition. DLA is awarded to people who have care and/.or mobility needs because of severe disability. Award lengths are set according to the extent that care and/or mobility needs may change over time. For those with a degenerative condition fixed term awards allow the Department to periodically review, and where necessary, increase the levels of financial support should care/mobility needs have increased.

Claims to DLA are dealt with by DWP decision makers, who refer to Departmental guidance the Children’s A-Z of Medical Conditions which sets out the main care and mobility needs likely to arise from different disabling conditions. If necessary, further information is gathered from health professionals dealing with the claimant, or in the case of a child, from their school.

DLA can be awarded indefinitely to any claimant depending on their individual circumstances.