DLA Changes Announced in the Budget
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a non-means-tested, non-contributory benefit paid to a person with care and/or mobility needs as a result of a mental or physical disability.
DLA is made up of a care component for help with personal care needs and a mobility component for help with walking difficulties. A person may receive one, or both, of the components paid at the rate appropriate to their care and/or mobility needs.
A decision maker within the Social Security Agency (SSA) will decide whether to award DLA on the basis of a claim form submitted by a person only or may seek further medical evidence from a medical professional. The decision maker can also decide to refer the person for an examination by a doctor acting on the SSA’s behalf. Entitlement to DLA is therefore tightly defined and subject to rigorous assessment.
The proportion of the working age population in Northern Ireland in receipt of DLA is twice the rate for GB. Part of the explanation for higher DLA recipiency in Northern Ireland lies in its worse levels of ill-health (Joseph Rowntree Foundation). Statistics from the DSD show that DLA is paid to 10.2% of the Northern Ireland population and the biggest disabling condition is mental health causes (DLA Summary of Statistics, November 2009, DSD).
Queries about disability benefits including DLA count for a substantial workload in CAB offices across Northern Ireland. In 2009/10 the organisation dealt with in excess of 50,000 queries in relation to disability benefits.
The emergency budget announced yesterday will introduce a compulsory medical assessment for all new and existing DLA claims from 2013/2014. This will have a substantial impact in Northern Ireland given the number of DLA claimants here.
Citizens Advice has a number of concerns about the proposed introduction of medical assessments for all DLA claims:
• there are already issues with delays in medical assessments for some existing DLA claims – we are concerned that there is insufficient resources to cope with existing demand
• the Medical Support Service which currently provides medical assessments for the DSD is in the process of being privatised and we await an announcement about who has won the contract to deliver this. We have concerns about this contract that it will be adequately resourced to cope with this new level of demand
• given the volume of DLA claims on the basis of mental health problems there needs to be appropriate training of medical doctors who are carrying out these assessments so that they can adequately assess the care and mobility needs that arise from this condition and a persons ability to identify these.
