• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / News Archive / Hundreds of thousands ‘will lose essential lifeline’ through DLA reforms

Hundreds of thousands ‘will lose essential lifeline’ through DLA reforms

By guest on 25th February 2011 Category: News Archive

Listen

Government reforms to disability living allowance (DLA) could lead to more than 835, 000 disabled people losing an “essential lifeline of support”, according to three leading disability organisations.

The Disability Rights Partnership (DRP) – the working title for the proposed merger of Disability Alliance (DA), RADAR and the National Centre for Independent Living – said the changes would have “a hugely detrimental effect” on a “significant number of disabled people and their families”.

The warning came in DRP’s response to the government’s consultation on its proposed DLA reforms, which closed on 18 February.

Under the proposals, which will be introduced through the new welfare reform bill, DLA will be replaced by a new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from 2013.

But the three organisations were deeply critical of the reforms, which they said were “underpinned” by the government’s plans to cut DLA spending on working-age people by a fifth – saving £2.17 billion by the end of 2015/16.

DRP warned that it was “very likely” that all current DLA recipients were at risk of losing some support, through lower rates, reduced eligibility or direct cuts, with the 643,000 disabled people on the low rate care component most at risk.

The partnership said the cuts to DLA spending would mean “disabled people shouldering a disproportionately large share of the burden of tackling the national deficit”.

And it said the reforms would increase costs for the NHS and councils, and reduce tax and national insurance revenue for the government when disabled people were forced to give up their jobs, or work fewer hours.

DRP also said the consultation had been too short to allow a proper analysis of the impact of the proposals, which also lacked detail, creating “anxiety for many disabled people and their families”.

DRP produced a string of recommendations, including the introduction of a sliding scale of support, rather than “regimented” lower and higher PIP rates; further analysis of disabled people’s costs; and for any new assessment to be in keeping with the “personalisation” agenda and avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.

The partnership also called for any new assessment to take account of the maintenance and ongoing costs of aids and equipment; and for there to be annual, independent reviews of PIP’s implementation.

More than 1,700 people completed DA’s survey on the government’s proposals, with the results included in DRP’s response.

Less than 10 per cent of the respondents said DLA covered all their disability-related costs, such as transport, heating and laundry, and aids and equipment.

23 February 2011

Share this post:

Share on X (Twitter)Share on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on RedditShare on LinkedIn
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Related

‘Muddled’ blue badge reforms ‘are to blame for renewal delays’
6th February 2015
UN debate will be reminder of true inclusive education
6th February 2015
IDS breaks pledge on PIP waiting-times, as tens of thousands still queue for months
30th January 2015

Primary Sidebar

On the left of the image are multiple heads of different colours - white, aqua, red, light brown, and dark green - all grouped together, then the words ‘Campaign for Disability Justice. Sign up to support. #OpportunitySecurityRespect’
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Access

Latest Stories

‘Disastrous’ cuts bill that leaves legacy of distrust and distress ‘must be dropped’

Four disabled Labour MPs stand up to government over cuts to disability benefits

Silence from MP sister of Rachel Reeves over suicide linked to PIP flaws, just as government was seeking cuts

Disabled people receiving care were ‘ignored by design’ during the pandemic, Covid inquiry hears

Disabled activists warn Labour MPs who vote for cuts: ‘The gloves will be off’

GB News says it has nothing to apologise for, after guest suggests starving disabled benefit claimants

SEND inspections find services in just one in four areas usually lead to ‘positive’ outcomes for disabled children

Disabled MP who quit government over benefit cuts tells DNS: ‘The consequences will be devastating’

Disabled peers plan to ‘amend, amend, amend, amend, amend’ after assisted dying bill reaches Lords

Minister finally admits that working-age benefits spending is stable, despite months of ‘spiralling’ claims

Advice and Information

Readspeaker
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Threads
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web