Statistical update: Disability Living Allowance Claims
Updated statistics on the number of claimants receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) between February and May 2012 have been released.
Updated statistics on the number of claimants receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) between February and May 2012 have been released.
The total number of DLA claims in May 2012 was 3,258,440, an increase of 15,000 on the previous quarter.
From April, the Government is replacing DLA with a new benefit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), for people of working age (16 to 64), with a new face-to-face assessment.
Minister for Disabled People, Esther McVey, said:
Disability Living Allowance is an outdated benefit introduced over 20 years ago. Personal Independence Payment will include a new face-to-face assessment and regular reviews - something missing in the current system.
The new benefit is designed to better reflect today’s understanding of disability, particularly for people with mental health conditions.
Our welfare reforms are about ensuring the billions we spend on disability benefits give more targeted support to those who need it most.
In ten years, the number of people claiming DLA has risen by almost 35% (from 2.4 million to 3.3 million).
The Government will continue to spend the same on PIP in 2015/16 as was spent on DLA last year - around £13bn.
PIP, like DLA will continue to be uprated by inflation and the cash rates are the same under PIP as for DLA, recognising the extra costs faced by many disabled people.
Like DLA, PIP will also be a non-means-tested, non-taxable cash benefit claimed in and out of work. The assessment for PIP will look at how someone’s impairment affects their ability to live an everyday life, and their ability to carry out a broad range of everyday activities such as cooking and getting around.
The new benefit will be phased in - with new claims from the North of England in April and then new claims from the rest of the country from June.
Notes to Editors:
- Latest DLA stats can be found here: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html
- April 2013 - New claims for PIP start with the Bootle benefit centre. Bootle will handle the claims from areas including Merseyside, North West England, Cumbria, Cheshire and North-East England. People in these locations will be the first to claim PIP.
- June 2013 - New claims for PIP from the rest of the country.
- October 2013 - The re-assessment of current claimants will start from Oct 2013 only if there is a change in circumstance; end of an existing award or for people reaching age 16.
- The majority of existing claimants will be reassessed in from the latter part of 2015 onwards following the findings of an independent in 2014.
- PIP Rates:
PIP Daily Living Component
Enhanced rate: £79.15
Standard rate: £53.00
Mobility
Enhanced: £55.25
Standard: £21.00
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