Disability: Cost of Living

(asked on 15th March 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the report entitled the Disability Price Tag 2019, published by Scope, what steps she is taking to ensure that personal independence payment assessments accurately capture the extra costs incurred by disabled people.


Answered by
Justin Tomlinson Portrait
Justin Tomlinson
This question was answered on 20th March 2019

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a more modern, dynamic and fairer benefit than its predecessor, Disability Living Allowance (DLA), designed to focus support on those experiencing the greatest barriers to living independently. DLA had not been fundamentally reformed since it was introduced over 25 years ago and it lacked some of the basic checks and reviews that are integral to most other State-funded support.

Built on rules developed for disability benefits created in the 1970s, DLA was also a product of its time, focusing primarily on physical disabilities, whereas we now have a better understanding of the needs of individuals with mental health conditions, learning difficulties, and sensory impairments like blindness. Understanding of conditions like autism has also changed measurably. That is why we introduced PIP. Reform of DLA had long been overdue and the benefit had to be changed to better support disabled people to lead independent lives as they want to today. PIP provides an opportunity to better target support for disabled people and to enable them to lead full, active and independent lives.

At the core of the benefit’s design is the principle that awards of the benefit should be made according to a claimant’s overall level of need; entitlement being assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability. It is intended to act as a contribution
towards the extra costs that arise as a result of a long-term health condition or disability. We take all feedback regarding the benefit and assessment process seriously; and we remain committed to continuous improvements and working closely with claimants and
representative organisations.

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