Welfare Reform Bill & benefit cuts

Yes, many thanks Annie, this news is encouraging. Advice I have had from Mencap and Leonard Cheshire Disability is to keep campaigning on this issue until the government accept they have made a mistake and keep the mobility allowance for all disabled people that need it.

Hi Simon's dad, although the following article doesn't solve your problem completely, at least it might help if delayed:

As part of last week's Welfare Reform Bill, the government has delayed its decision to remove the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for disabled people living in residential care homes.

The benefit was due to be removed by October 2012. However, an impact assessment document that accompanied the Bill, confirms: ‘The DLA mobility component for those in care homes will be retained until March 2013.'

The impact assessment says that any further changes to the DLA will be built into the design of the new Personal Independence Payment. It also confirms that the government will review whether the mobility component of DLA is an overlap of social care funds – a claim that campaigners have been providing evidence against.

I am actually in a panic about how benefit reform will affect us as at the moment, we rely on them to survive as I am currently studying at home with the Open Uni while caring for my autistic son. I am intending on using the mobility part of his DLA to fund driving lessons and eventually the cost of running a car as it is incredibly frustrating to use publc transport for the fear of Matthew losing his temper over nothing. 

Have had the following message from the mother of a young man with learning disabilities in Doncaster:

"Could you please ask your friends if they would comment, and post this link anywhere they can, It is an outrage what the council are planning to do, and you like me probably know that we always have to fight for our Sons/Daughters.  Maybe just maybe we will get the right result but we will NOT lay down and let this Government/Council take away the social centre which our young disabled have used for many years and have made long term friendships and the stability which they require. Thank You again for your comments, any further ideas, input would be appreciated. Kind Regards to you and your Family"

Diane  

Hi columbine

Thanks for you comments, totally agree. Just to clarify: in Simon's case the mobility allowance is used to lease a car through Motability which is then used for Simon's benefit. This ensures there is always a vehicle for him at all times. In other cases it is used to fund taxis, to pay staff for using their own vehicles, to pay for adaptions to vehicles for wheel chair users. The point is that as a cash payment it is flexible, allowing the disabled person to fund their extra mobility needs in the way that best suits them.

Hello Simon's Dad,

I'm new to this forum but was poked into joining by my fears for the future of my autistic daughter and others like her. Your son's mobility allowance presumably goes to the care home as payment towards trips out, daily care with getting from a to b, etc. I know I couldn't even send my daughter, who is 18, to my next door neighbour without leading her there as she'd be off up the road, totally unaware. No chance of ever crossing the road without guidance. Our young people's needs are well beyond normal but it seems as though their quality of life counts for nothing. The measure of a society is in how we take care of our vulnerable members - if this government gets their way our 'big society' will be sadly lacking.

Thanks Jim V

This is to explain how mobility allowance helps my son, Simon. He gets the higher rate (currently £49.85/week) which is used to lease a car through the Motability scheme. The car is kept at Simon's care home. It is driven by his carers who take him out on various activities daily. He goes to the park, swimming, shops, cafe, pub and social visits in the evening.

Simon needs constant care, he has low verbal communication and no sense of danger, 2:1 staffing when he is taken out in the community. He loves being outdoors, always has from a child. Sometimes I would drive him around for hours because he enjoyed it and it gave my wife and Simon's brother a break.

We live in Staffordshire, Simon in Nottinghamshire, and it's a 130 mile round trip. For home visits staff bring him to us in the morning in his car and drop him off, taking the car back to the care home. In the afternoon 2 different staff members arrive to take Simon back to his home. He is always happy to come to our home and enjoys the visits. He is also very happy to go back to his home and looks out for the staff returning in his car. This is of course a relief for us. We look forward to Simon being at home if only for a brief time but coping with him, even for a few hours, is stressful. It takes a couple of days to get over the sadness. I was going to say 'guilt' but it's not that, not any more. Simon is well cared for and happy at his home, the management and staff are great.

To lose the mobility allowance and hence a car for Simon's own use would be a hammer blow. It's not just the money. For me the real pain is that it signifies the government (i.e. society) no longer recognise or care how important this is to the lives of people like Simon.

Hi Simon

My 8 yr old has asd and adhd. he id high functioning which means where we live no access to anything! we use the dla we get to buy fiddle toys sensory equipment and keep up with swimming 4 times a week and soft play 3 times. as most will know these things are pricey beyond need and you have to adapt and change with your child and they dont last long. the condem party are cutting everything from the vulnerable and aside the mobility they wish to take - which is disgusting and deplorable - i fear they will cut the dla for people with these so called hidden disabilities such as asd aspergers and such.

then our kids will have no sensory needs fulfilled no mobility needs helped and the gov can forget about them!

time to stand upo and be heard i feel

.

Hi Simon's Dad, thanks for starting this discussion. I'm sure there's going to be many people affected by these changes if the government doesn't change it's position.

Can I ask, if you don't mind, how the mobility allowance helps your son and the change it might make if it was removed? I think that might help other people reading this discussion understand the situation and its importance.