Benefit changes for Disabled people?
Shaping Future Support is the DWP Health and Disability related ‘Green Paper’ released this Summer.
The DWP are looking to review Employment Support Allowance. As well as, Personal Independence Payment and Universal Credit for disabled people. They have also not ruled out a new single benefit.
It’s great to hear that as part of the review there seems to be commitment to helping people navigate the benefits system. There are other positive points for example – the extension of special terminal illness rules. Going from six months to one year and giving Decision Makers extra time to look at evidence and make decisions.
However, the concern is the repeated reference to rising costs of Disability related benefits. Furthermore the impact on people who are trying to live with PIP as a non-means tested benefit and be as independent as possible from the benefit ‘system’. Especially if the new benefit acts a passport to other services.
'Single' Benefit
When it comes to making the process easier, merging means tested and non-means tested benefits hasn’t been a huge success. In the past there does seem to be a commitment to providing access to ‘advocacy’ and that’s a great start.
What people often need is help to join up the Health, Social Care and DWP benefit systems. Help understand how they interact. For many, this is hugely frustrating and a barrier to getting the right advice and making good decisions. It isn’t always ‘advocacy’ that is needed but a way of working out what to do and when, who can help and how.
Our ‘Care Map’ helps adults to navigate the Health, Care and Benefit systems in England. We hope that we can add signposts to the new DWP advice and support services being implemented in the future because they are certainly not present currently.
If you would like some help with the New ‘Single’ Benefit please Get In Touch.
Care Navigators
