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Removal of DLA mobility for those in residential care
Simple question , does anyone know if these reductions will apply to those already in Res care and getting the mobility component or just people who enter res care after 2012. The news stories all seem to indicate that it will be withdrawn from everyone but I can’t find anything to confirm it- Is there something I’ve missed?
Applies to both existing and future residents from October 2012. No transitional protection, no phasing, just stops. The CSR statements, especially the Policy Costings document, are quite clear, even if the reporting of them isn’t:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spend_sr2010_documents.htm
But of course disabled people have nothing to fear from this government (says IDS).
Richard Atkinson
‘The proposed policy is to stop payment of the mobility component after 28 days (84 days for a
child) resident in a care home funded by a public body. This would include those in the
Motability scheme in both care homes and hospitals. Those who fully self-fund their own care
would be unaffected by the change.’
How clever of the ConDems to slide ‘and Hospital’ in. So post October 2012 we are going to have claimants on DLA high mob who have accessed the Motability scheme and subsequently are admitted to Hospital. Start the clock. The admission may only be for 5 or 6 weeks but hey presto, they have to surrender their Motability car !!!
After discharge from Hospital the DLA is reinstated…..
Another sleight of hand penalising the disabled/vulnerable.
Makes you wonder if the cost of administering the re-application of HRM DLA and sorting out motability cars and so on once the claimant has left hospital is more than the amount of the benefit actually withdrawn. Some govt departments will spend 2 million in order to cut 1 million. Mortgage help withdrawn, client loses home and then claims HB, which will cost more than Mortgage relief in the first place. Unless the govt decide to cap HB and LHA of course! Hang on….
The Motability scheme should be allowed to continue to the end of the three years. I believe this is the case so long stays in hospital will not result in loss of a car.
Hi -
here’s excerpt from Hansard relating to Motability and the removal of the mobility component for those in residential care -
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what recent discussions his Department has had with the operators of the Motability scheme on the removal of the mobility component of disability living allowance for people in residential care; [31364]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2010, Official Report, column 789W, on disability living allowance: care homes, whether Motability scheme users will be liable to pay financial penalties as a result of the cancellation of their car leasing arrangements. [31363]
Maria Miller: Motability is an independent charitable organisation and is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability Scheme. The Department has had a number of discussions with Motability about this proposal and will continue to work closely with them to ensure that scheme customers affected by the measure are informed about the change as soon as possible. As an independent organisation it will be for Motability to decide how scheme customers affected by the measure will be managed. However, Motability has advised that it is not their current policy to impose penalties on customers who need to terminate their leases for reasons outside of their control.
link to Hansard -
Withdrawal of mobility component estimated to ‘save the tax payer around £140m each year in real terms’ according to House of Commons written answer from Maria Miller -