Ministers cannot say how many people could be affected by significant changes in disability benefits that could result in some cohorts being underpaid.
The government has been warned that changes to sickness and disability benefits announced in the budget could cost people with complex or invisible illnesses dearly if not implemented properly.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has said it intends to move the changes slowly in order to “thoroughly consider how best to implement the changes and also provide confidence and confidence to applicants.”
But he couldn’t say how many people might be vulnerable to missed payments because he doesn’t have the data available.
According to the plans, the Work Ability Assessment (WCA) for determining benefits will be phased out and replaced by the current Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system, which will be used to decide how much daily support a person with a disability needs.
A £350 surcharge for people who are not necessarily eligible for the PIP program but are unable to work due to a medical condition – people who have a Limited Work Capacity and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) – will replaced by the Universal Credit (UC) element of health.
However, this only applies to those who also receive PIP, which experts warn could exclude people who are unable to work due to illness but do not meet high thresholds such as disability or limited mobility.
Labor MP Marsha de Córdoba, in a written parliamentary question, asked how many applicants for universal credit are unable to work due to health or disability but do not receive PIP. DWP Minister Tom Pursglove responded that the government would release these statistics in the future.
I understands that the DWP does not currently contain this data.
Vicki Foxcroft, Labour’s Shadow Minister for the Disabled, said “it’s unbelievable that the government announced major policy changes without knowing how many people it would affect.”
She said: “Ministers should get together and publish these statistics without delay.”
Stephen Timms, chairman of the committee on work and pensions, said earlier. I he was concerned about the lack of clarity on proposed changes to benefits as ministers plan to start the legislative process next year.
He said the reforms could cause “a reasonable number of people” to miss out on benefits that would otherwise be eligible if the changes were not made with care.
The government announced the changes, coinciding with increased penalties for benefits for the unemployed, who ministers say should make more efforts to find work.
One of the issues identified is the increased risk that people who are not eligible for the PIP program but who are unable to work, for example due to mental illness, may inadvertently be punished under sanctions.
However, the government is pushing for a full review of how the changes will be implemented to ensure this doesn’t happen and to financially protect those who may switch to another service.
A government spokesman stated: “The White Paper on Health and Disability aims to remove the financial barriers that exist under the current system by improving the assessment of employability, support and experience for people who can apply for and receive benefits.
“These are the biggest reforms in a decade. For this reason, we will take the time to carefully consider how best to implement the changes and provide applicants with peace of mind as we continue to communicate with people with disabilities and health conditions, as well as our stakeholders, as our proposals evolve. The reforms are being implemented. a leak.
“We will provide protection to ensure that no one suffers financial losses after the implementation of the reform, and we will also expand the range of our individual support to help people find and keep stable jobs.”
Source: I News
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