Summary
The Government will introduce a fairer and simpler disability payment from 2013/14 as detailed in the 'Government's Response to the Consultation on Disability Living Allowance Reform’ (Cm. 8051).
The existing disability living allowance (DLA) will be replaced by a Personal Independence Payment for people aged between 16 and 64, taking into consideration over 5,500 responses received from individuals and organisations in the consultation period.
On 06 December 2010, the Government published 'Disability Living Allowance Reform’ (Cm. 7984) which set out its reform proposals and sought people's views.
The Government will ensure that the new Personal Independence Payment remains a non-means-tested and non-taxable cash benefit which people can spend in a way that best suits them.
The aim, through the introduction of Personal Independence Payment, is to make the benefit:
- fairer;
- more straightforward to administer; and
- easier and clearer to understand.
There will be two components of Personal Independence Payment, each with a standard and enhanced rate:
- a daily living component; and
- a mobility component.
The Government is developing the assessment for Personal Independence Payment in collaboration with a group of independent specialists and will consider an individual's ability to carry out key everyday activities. The greatest priority in awarding the benefit will be that it goes to those individuals who are least able to carry them out. The application and administration process will be made as straightforward as possible.
The Personal Independence Payment will not be extended to new or existing claims for children from 2013-14. And the proposal to withdraw the DLA mobility component from people in residential care will not now be implemented.
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