Correspondence May. 01 2024
Committee: Social Justice and Social Security CommitteeFound: and clubs will help to tackle social isolation and loneliness.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a Parkinson's Passport that would give automatic access to clearly defined benefits.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is currently exploring the feasibility of this, and the other asks within the charter.
The Department for Work and Pensions offers Personal Independence Payments (PIP) to individuals with health conditions or disabilities. However, there is currently no automatic entitlement to PIP in relation to specific health conditions, except in cases of people nearing the end of life, specifically the last year of life. The Government understands that there are people with severe and lifelong health conditions which will not improve. Guidance ensures that those on the highest level of support, whose needs will not improve, receive an ongoing award with a light-touch review at the 10-year point.
The primary focus of the Department for Transport’s Blue Badge scheme is to help those with the greatest mobility needs. Eligibility is not based on the type of disability. There are several automatic qualifying criteria for a Blue Badge, such as being in receipt of PIP because you cannot walk more than 50 metres. People who do not automatically qualify for a Blue Badge may still be eligible for a badge through further assessment.
With regards to free prescriptions, approximately 89% of prescription items are currently dispensed free of charge, and there is a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place. People with Parkinson’s disease who are 60 years old or over are entitled to free prescriptions. For those that have to pay for prescriptions, the cost can be capped by purchasing a pre-payment certificate, which can be paid for in instalments. Additionally, the NHS Low Income Scheme can provide help with health costs on an income-related basis.
Oral Evidence Apr. 30 2024
Inquiry: Civil Service Leadership and ReformFound: I cannot put this any better than the Social Mobility Foundation did in their 2017 report, for which
Apr. 30 2024
Source Page: Scottish Government response to the report of the Independent Commission for the Land-based Learning ReviewFound: Whilst there is much to celebrate in Scotland’s education and skills system, a growing set of social
Correspondence Apr. 30 2024
Committee: Social Justice and Social Security CommitteeFound: Independent Age recommend that in line with the Social Security principles of continuous improvement
Apr. 29 2024
Source Page: Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paperFound: Social care 50f. Respite g. Transport h. Utility costs i. Other Q31.
Apr. 29 2024
Source Page: Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paperFound: Entitlement to PIP considers the twelve activities relating to daily living and mobility (these can
Apr. 29 2024
Source Page: Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paperFound: • Mobility scores are much more concentrated than those for Daily Living.
Apr. 29 2024
Source Page: Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paperFound: disorders - Other / type not known - Generalised anxiety disorder - Phobia - Specific - Phobia - Social
Written Evidence Apr. 29 2024
Committee: Public Accounts CommitteeFound: rail sector is an essential part of our economy and society, connecting us to opportunity, driving social