We have been asking people with worries to write to there MP and explain there fears and worries about the Disability Living Allowance Proposals. Now you can ask them to sign a Parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM).  An EDM is like an internal petition for MP's.

One disabled champion I know, Adam Lotun of www.disability-adjustments.co.uk , as is his nature. Is organising a response to the concerns we all have.

He has engaged some legal advice, managed to get Kate Hoey MP to raise Early Day Motion 393 and for people across all disabilities, that can make it, to turn up tomorrow 7th July 2010 and lobby MP's in Parliament to put there name to the motion. If you would like to do this we meet outside parliament at 10.15 to enter the house at 10.30 details click here.

Below you will find the briefing on Early Day Motion (EDM) 393 and a press release (click here to download a .pdf file with all the documents or scroll down to the one you wish to use that meets your purpose).

You can find out if your MP has signed if by clicking here to see the signatures currently on the EDM. If not please write to them to insist they do!.

Press release  (click here to download it if you need to attach it to an email)

June/July 2010 

For immediate release 

Kate Hoey MP calls for Medical Assessments 

proposals on DLA to be scrapped 

Kate Hoey MP is calling for the Government to scrap its plan to introduce medical 

assessments for new and existing claimants in 2013 proposed by the Chancellor in the 

Emergency Budget. 

Kate Hoey MP for Vauxhall has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) that calls upon the 

Government to reconsider the Chancellor’s proposal to introduce medical assessments to 

new and existing claimants by 2013 in the Emergency Budget. 

The motion also calls for the Government to honour its commitment to disabled people and 

ensure that the most vulnerable people always receive the support they deserve. 

Kate Hoey MP said: 

“My motion was inspired by one of my constituents Ashleah Skinner who is a professionally 

designated Associate Paralegal by the Institute of Paralegals and who is a Disability 

Advocate and campaigner of disability welfare rights. 

He has already given evidence in House of Commons Select Committees which have 

contributed to changes in legislation to support more disabled people, in February 2008, he 

gave evidence in a Select Committee which led to the Government extending eligibility of the 

Blue Badge criteria to people who are severely mentally impaired and have severe 

behavioural problems. 

Both the Tories and Lib Dems in their Election Manifesto pledged to protect Disability Living 

Allowance and I want them to honour their promises by reminding them that DLA was 

introduced to provide disabled people with financial income to support the extra support they 

require arising from their disability and that their plans risk putting disabled people in poverty 

and financial hardship at a time when they need the support the most. 

The Government in their coalition agreement did not mention DLA at all but did refer to 

introducing medical assessments for claimants for Incapacity Benefit and Employment and 

Support Allowance and that it appears the Government have confused DLA with ESA. 

Disability Living Allowance is a universal benefit that it to pay for the additional costs that 

disabled people incur due to their care and mobility needs and it is not based on a particular 

disabling condition, hence why a medical assessment is not the best option.  

To bring in medical assessments for a benefit which is not medically related and which is 

intended for the cost of care is absolutely wrong, claimants will suffer additional anxiety at 

new or frequent medical assessments and the Government must carefully reconsider its 

position. 

The Government’s State of the Nation report on poverty, worklessness and welfare 

dependency (released 3 June 2010) states that around 2.2 million people (including 1.1 

million people of working age), have been claiming DLA allowance for over five years. In 

addition it should be noted that 20% of people claiming DLA are in the top 40% of income 

distribution.  

40% of people who have a disability which causes substantial disadvantage are in work. The 

number of people in work and receiving DLA is around 2.9 million people. 

Ashleah Skinner, Associate Paralegal added: 

“I’m delighted that Kate Hoey MP is supporting the campaign. 

Kate Hoey MP is known for being non-partisan on a number of issues and speaks up for her 

constituents and always ensures that the most vulnerable people in our society always has a 

voice and she represents them all the way. 

Technically it is a partisan issue as all the political parties made pledges with DLA, but the 

Labour Party has shown that it really is the party that wants to create a future fair for all. 

I campaign for disabled people and their rights and I have personal experience with disability 

and there is nothing more horrible than to take away support from the most vulnerable 

people in our society 

I understand that medical assessments may be useful in some cases but to introduce a 

mandatory rule is unfair as DLA does not relate to a medical diagnosis but the support that 

arises as a result – The system does need change, it needs reform on how people apply for 

the benefit as disabled people struggle with countless paperwork, repeated or new medical 

assessments is just not the way forward.” 

ENDS 

Notes for Editors: 

1. EDM 393 says: 

Hoey, Kate  

That this House urges the Government to recognise that the intention behind disability living 

allowance was not to award benefit based on a particular disabling condition but on the 

extent to which a severely disabled person has personal care or mobility needs as a result of 

living with their disability; understands that medical assessments and questionnaires cannot 

in practice be worded perfectly to reflect the legislation and case law; acknowledges that it is 

the role of the decision maker to determine a person's eligibility, based on all the relevant 

evidence, both medical and non-medical; considers that the administrative cost of medical 

assessments could be better used to make the benefit application process easier for 

disabled people to complete and to better support the decision maker; and calls on the 

Government to re-consider its decision to introduce medical assessments for new and 

existing claimants of disability living allowance. 

2.Disability Living Allowance was introduced to help pay for the extra costs that disabled 

people incur due to the care and mobility needs as a result of their disability as the 

Government correctly took the view that they face the highest cost and that the 

Government was intent of helping the most vulnerable people: 

3. Millions of people who receive DLA are in work: 40% of people who have a 

disability which causes substantial disadvantage are in work. The number of people 

in work and receiving DLA is around 2.9 million people. 

Briefing Notes (click here if you want to download it to attach to an email)

Briefing on Disability Living Allowance 

It is estimated in the Improving the life choice of disabled people report that around 

11 million people in the UK are disabled which is one in 5 of the adult population and 

770, 000 disabled children. 

Disability Living Allowance was introduced to help pay for the extra costs that disabled people 

incur due to the care and mobility needs as a result of their disability as the Government 

correctly took the view that they face the highest cost and that the Government was intent of 

helping the most vulnerable people: 

• Millions of people who receive DLA are in work: 40% of people who have a disability 

which causes substantial disadvantage are in work. The number of people in work and 

receiving DLA is around 2.9 million people. 

• People receiving DLA have been in work long term and their disability is not a 

barrier to work: The Government’s State of the Nation report on poverty, worklessness 

and welfare dependency (released 3 June 2010) states that around 2.2 million people 

(including 1.1 million people of working age), have been claiming DLA allowance for over 

five years. In addition it should be noted that 20% of people claiming DLA are in the top 

40% of income distribution. 

 Medical Assessment Dilemma 

The Chancellor announced in the Emergency Budget that new and existing claimants 

of DLA would have a medical assessment in 2013. 

DLA is not a medical benefit but rather it is based on the extra costs that arise from a 

disability which is why a medical assessment is not appropriate in all cases, although 

it may be useful in some cases. 

Repeated and sometimes unnecessary medical assessments causes additional worry 

and anxiety to claimants who already have enough difficulties to deal with and the 

amount of money to fund medical assessments could be better served in reforming 

the DLA application process making it easier for claimants to claim and easy for 

decision makers to make the correct decisions, as that is the main problem. 

Disability Living Allowance 

Disability Living Allowance (“DLA”) is a non-means tested benefit which can be claimed by a 

UK resident aged under 65 years who has care and/or mobility needs as a result of a mental 

and/or physical disability. It is tax free. 

DLA is made up of a care component for people who need help with personal care needs 

and a mobility component for people who need with walking difficulties. 

Care component – Weekly rate (April 2010 – March 2011)

Highest rate - £71.40 

Middle rate - £47.80 

Lower rate - £18.95