Proposal to replace DLA with Personal Independence Payment
12 July 2011
The Government set out its proposals to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for working-age claimants with a new benefit: the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a Green Paper, Disability Living Allowance reform, published in December 2010.
This Call for Evidence has also been prepared in an Easy Read version (PDF 2.34MB).
The Government stated that the purpose of the proposed benefit will remain the same — to "contribute to the extra costs of overcoming the barriers faced by disabled people to lead full and active lives". The benefit will also remain non-means tested and non-taxable, payment will not be dependent on claimants having paid sufficient National Insurance contributions, it will be payable regardless of employment status and it will continue to act as a gateway to other benefits such as Carers Allowance and the Motability Scheme.
The Government believes that the introduction of PIP will lead to an increased focus on those with the greatest needs; and a reduction in caseload and expenditure, achieved by revising the eligibility criteria and introducing an objective assessment for eligibility. Other key changes include: ending automatic entitlement for certain conditions and impairments; regular review of all awards; two rates in the "daily living" component (rather than three in the "care" component of DLA); and extending the qualifying period to six months.
The Government published its response to the consultation on the Green Paper proposals in April 2011. PIP will be introduced for all working-age claimants from 2013 (subject to the passage of the Welfare Reform Bill currently going through its parliamentary stages).
Short submissions (no more than 3,000 words) are invited from interested organisations and individuals.
The deadline for written evidence is Friday 2 September 2011.
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