Changes to Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

pile of money, twenty pound notes Disability Living Allowance is an important form of support for many people affected by mental illness. It helps people maintain their independence and manage their condition. The Welfare Reform Bill, currently being debated in Parliament, will introduce a new benefit to replace Disability Living Allowance, called Personal Independence Payment. The Government is currently consulting on the changes and we want to hear your views. 

What are the key changes?

A lot of the detail around PIP has yet to be finalised but the key changes are listed below:

  • Most individuals will have a face to face assessment as part of their application
  • There will be regular reassessment of claimants to check if their entitlement to the benefit has increased or decreased
  • There will still be two components – called Daily Living and Mobility – and both will be paid at two rates, called standard rate and enhanced rate
  • To claim PIP you will have had the disabling condition for 3 months and expect to have it for another 9 months (a year in total)

There are 11 activities that will be assessed as part of the new face to face assessment.  These are listed below:

Daily Living

  • Preparing food and drink
  • Taking nutrition
  • Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition
  • Bathing and grooming
  • Managing toilet needs and incontinence
  • Dressing and undressing
  • Communicating
  • Engaging socially
  • Making financial decisions

Mobility

  • Planning and following a journey
  • Moving around

From April 2013, anyone claiming DLA for the first time will instead be assessed for PIP, using the new assessment process. Reassessment for people currently claiming DLA will not begin until the autumn of 2013, after there is some idea of how the assessments are working. Reassessments will start with people who are due a DLA award review and people who have reported that their circumstances have changed.

What are we saying?

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently consulted on the thresholds and criteria for the new benefit. Rethink Mental Illness responded to this consultation along with the Centre for Mental Health, Hafal, the Mental Health Foundation, Mind, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and SAMH. You can download our response here:

Personal Independence Payment - assessment thresholds consultation response (304 kb) [pdf]

We are concerned that the assessment is not comprehensive enough to identify the barriers people with mental health problems face. We are also worried that it does not adequately assess the impact of fluctuating conditions.

DLA gives me a lot of independence that I wouldn't have without it. It is an essential aspect of my ability to cope.

Rethink Mental Illness member

Concerned about changes?

If you have concerns about any of these changes, you can contact the Rethink Advice and Information Service on 0300 5000 927, Monday to Friday, 10:00-13:00. You can also find out more about what Rethink Mental Illness is doing to campaign on these issues, and read about our part in the Hardest Hit march!