To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) new disability living allowance claims and (b) top-up claims have been refused, broken down by the reasons for refusal, in each month since February 1992 at each disability benefit centre and for the country as a whole.
The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the benefits agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 15 June 1993.
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many (a) new disability living allowance claims and (b) top-up claims have been refused, broken down by the reasons for refusal, in each month since February 1992 at each disability benefit centre and for the country as a whole.
Firstly, it may be helpful for me to say at this stage that new Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claims are dealt with by the regional Disability Benefit Centres (DBCs) and top-up claims are dealt with by the Claims Conversion Unit (CCU).
Annex A shows a breakdown of the number of DLA claims that have been refused, and the reasons for refusal by DBC since February 1992.
A breakdown of refusals on top-up claims by DBC is not available. However, Annex B details the number of top-up claims that have been refused by the CCU, and the reasons for refusal.
I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
Annex A: Refusals on new claims for DLA by DBC February 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 5 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 37 |
Newcastle | 57 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 92 |
Leeds | 19 | 0 | 54 | 0 | 73 |
Manchester | 10 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 42 |
Bootle | 3 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 37 |
Birmingham | 17 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 33 |
Bristol | 7 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 33 |
Cardiff | 11 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 24 |
Wembley | 33 | 0 | 61 | 0 | 94 |
Sutton | 21 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 77 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
Dlau Warbreck House | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 184 | 0 | 362 | 0 | 546 |
March 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 206 | 0 | 122 | 0 | 328 |
Newcastle | 498 | 0 | 179 | 0 | 677 |
Leeds | 282 | 0 | 334 | 0 | 616 |
Manchester | 239 | 0 | 146 | 0 | 385 |
Bootle | 129 | 0 | 141 | 0 | 270 |
Birmingham | 194 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 195 |
Bristol | 171 | 0 | 157 | 0 | 328 |
Cardiff | 194 | 0 | 128 | 0 | 322 |
Wembley | 263 | 1 | 374 | 0 | 638 |
Sutton | 406 | 1 | 368 | 0 | 775 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
Dlau Warbreck House | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 20 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 2,585 | 2 | 1,967 | 0 | 4,554 |
Annex A: Refusals on new claims for DLA by DBC April 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 412 | 0 | 87 | 0 | 499 |
Newcastle | 1,263 | 1 | 134 | 0 | 1,398 |
Leeds | 459 | 0 | 207 | 0 | 666 |
Manchester | 715 | 0 | 138 | 0 | 853 |
Bootle | 280 | 0 | 120 | 0 | 400 |
Birmingham | 225 | 0 | 58 | 0 | 283 |
Bristol | 330 | 0 | 141 | 0 | 471 |
Cardiff | 254 | 0 | 86 | 0 | 340 |
Wembley | 695 | 3 | 305 | 0 | 1,003 |
Sutton | 628 | 0 | 237 | 0 | 865 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
Dlau Warbreck House | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 13 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 5,269 | 4 | 1,518 | 0 | 6,791 |
May 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 552 | 1 | 107 | 0 | 660 |
Newcastle | 1,087 | 0 | 64 | 0 | 1,151 |
Leeds | 631 | 0 | 156 | 0 | 787 |
Manchester | 810 | 0 | 126 | 0 | 936 |
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Bootle | 528 | 1 | 73 | 2 | 604 |
Birmingham | 356 | 0 | 161 | 0 | 517 |
Bristol | 340 | 0 | 143 | 2 | 485 |
Cardiff | 641 | 0 | 110 | 2 | 753 |
Wembley | 704 | 1 | 163 | 1 | 869 |
Sutton | 404 | 2 | 149 | 0 | 555 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
Dlau Warbreack House | 3 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 13 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 6,056 | 5 | 1,261 | 8 | 7,330 |
Annex A: Refusals on new claims for DLA by DBC June 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 928 | 0 | 298 | 3 | 1,229 |
Newcastle | 1,002 | 0 | 77 | 0 | 1,079 |
Leeds | 1,661 | 2 | 159 | 2 | 1,824 |
Manchester | 1,114 | 1 | 104 | 3 | 1,222 |
Bootle | 657 | 0 | 130 | 0 | 787 |
Birmingham | 978 | 1 | 201 | 0 | 1,180 |
Bristol | 559 | 0 | 135 | 0 | 694 |
Cardiff | 801 | 0 | 170 | 0 | 971 |
Wembley | 895 | 3 | 180 | 0 | 1,078 |
Sutton | 843 | 4 | 168 | 4 | 1,019 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
Dlau Warbreck House | 31 | 0 | 75 | 0 | 106 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 9,469 | 11 | 1,697 | 12 | 11,189 |
July 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 1,979 | 2 | 253 | 5 | 2,239 |
Newcastle | 1,450 | 1 | 67 | 1 | 1,519 |
Leeds | 1,579 | 3 | 151 | 2 | 1,735 |
Manchester | 1,864 | 2 | 93 | 3 | 1,962 |
Bootle | 1,071 | 0 | 141 | 3 | 1,215 |
Birmingham | 1,296 | 1 | 338 | 0 | 1,635 |
Bristol | 872 | 0 | 81 | 1 | 954 |
Cardiff | 1,345 | 0 | 129 | 1 | 1,475 |
Wembley | 1,431 | 5 | 229 | 1 | 1,666 |
Sutton | 2,333 | 11 | 192 | 14 | 2,550 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
Dlau Warbreck House | 105 | 0 | 91 | 1 | 197 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 15,235 | 25 | 1,765 | 32 | 17,147 |
Annex A: Refusals on new claims for DLA by DBC August 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 1,086 | 2 | 195 | 2 | 1,285 |
Newcastle | 1,253 | 2 | 51 | 0 | 1,306 |
Leeds | 1,864 | 6 | 117 | 1 | 1,988 |
Manchester | 2,838 | 5 | 117 | 2 | 2,962 |
Bootle | 1,567 | 0 | 111 | 1 | 1,679 |
Birmingham | 1,423 | 3 | 305 | 2 | 1,733 |
Bristol | 895 | 4 | 68 | 2 | 969 |
Cardiff | 1,396 | 1 | 68 | 1 | 1,466 |
Wembley | 1,449 | 5 | 194 | 4 | 1,652 |
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Sutton | 1,717 | 17 | 141 | 4 | 1,879 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
DLAU Warbreck House | 180 | 1 | 76 | 3 | 260 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 15,668 | 46 | 1,443 | 22 | 17,179 |
September 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 2,020 | 0 | 206 | 4 | 2,230 |
Newcastle | 1,505 | 0 | 73 | 0 | 1,578 |
Leeds | 2,123 | 6 | 146 | 5 | 2,280 |
Manchester | 2,343 | 10 | 111 | 0 | 2,464 |
Bootle | 1,774 | 3 | 95 | 1 | 1,873 |
Birmingham | 2,918 | 3 | 265 | 6 | 3,192 |
Bristol | 1,115 | 5 | 78 | 6 | 1,204 |
Cardiff | 2,227 | 2 | 147 | 0 | 2,376 |
Wembley | 1,964 | 11 | 242 | 8 | 2,225 |
Sutton | 1,539 | 4 | 179 | 3 | 1,725 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
DLAU Warbreck House | 190 | 1 | 78 | 2 | 271 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 19,718 | 45 | 1,620 | 35 | 21,418 |
Annex A: Refusals on new claims for DLA by DBC October 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 4,316 | 3 | 193 | 6 | 4,518 |
Newcastle | 1,194 | 2 | 58 | 1 | 1,255 |
Leeds | 2,270 | 10 | 118 | 1 | 2,399 |
Manchester | 2,051 | 5 | 90 | 3 | 2,149 |
Bootle | 2,034 | 2 | 107 | 0 | 2,143 |
Birmingham | 3,473 | 12 | 255 | 5 | 3,745 |
Bristol | 1,102 | 4 | 83 | 5 | 1,194 |
Cardiff | 1,423 | 4 | 116 | 2 | 1,545 |
Wembley | 1,960 | 22 | 153 | 2 | 2,137 |
Sutton | 1,578 | 4 | 164 | 8 | 1,754 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
Dlau Warbreck House | 520 | 2 | 97 | 4 | 623 |
Other M Us | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 21,921 | 70 | 1,434 | 37 | 23,462 |
November 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 2,618 | 11 | 154 | 6 | 2,789 |
Newcastle | 1,239 | 2 | 67 | 1 | 1,309 |
Leeds | 1,781 | 4 | 107 | 1 | 1,893 |
Manchester | 1,780 | 4 | 102 | 1 | 1,887 |
Bootle | 1,287 | 2 | 119 | 4 | 1,412 |
Birmingham | 2,412 | 8 | 224 | 4 | 2,648 |
Bristol | 549 | 4 | 100 | 0 | 653 |
Cardiff | 969 | 1 | 63 | 0 | 1,033 |
Wembley | 1,395 | 16 | 140 | 3 | 1,554 |
Sutton | 1,216 | 5 | 145 | 5 | 1,373 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
Dlau Warbreck House | 394 | 1 | 63 | 3 | 461 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Great Britain | 15,642 | 58 | 1,284 | 28 | 17,012 |
Annex A: Refusals on new claims for DLA by DBC December 1992
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 2,853 | 2 | 161 | 5 | 3,021 |
Newcastle | 786 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 819 |
Leeds | 1,870 | 6 | 88 | 2 | 1,966 |
Manchester | 1,121 | 8 | 70 | 2 | 1,201 |
Bootle | 1,048 | 5 | 79 | 0 | 1,132 |
Birmingham | 2,149 | 18 | 167 | 8 | 2,342 |
Bristol | 666 | 5 | 43 | 0 | 714 |
Cardiff | 1,009 | 2 | 70 | 0 | 1,081 |
Wembley | 1,083 | 8 | 87 | 3 | 1,181 |
Sutton | 1,165 | 5 | 105 | 2 | 1,277 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
DLAU Warbeck House | 535 | 3 | 45 | 2 | 585 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 14,285 | 62 | 984 | 24 | 15,319 |
January 1993
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 1,932 | 2 | 104 | 3 | 2,041 |
Newcastle | 862 | 2 | 50 | 1 | 915 |
Leeds | 2,272 | 8 | 87 | 0 | 2,367 |
Manchester | 1,582 | 9 | 115 | 0 | 1,706 |
Bootle | 1,425 | 1 | 98 | 0 | 1,524 |
Birmingham | 1,883 | 10 | 145 | 4 | 2,042 |
Bristol | 650 | 6 | 56 | 0 | 712 |
Cardiff | 1,229 | 0 | 96 | 0 | 1,325 |
Wembley | 1,223 | 6 | 261 | 0 | 1,490 |
Sutton | 1,196 | 8 | 127 | 5 | 1,336 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
DLAU Warbeck House | 943 | 4 | 99 | 8 | 1,054 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 15,197 | 56 | 1,238 | 21 | 16,512 |
Annex A: Refusals on new claims for DLA by DBC February 1993
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 1,010 | 6 | 78 | 4 | 1,098 |
Newcastle | 851 | 0 | 62 | 0 | 913 |
Leeds | 2,419 | 7 | 195 | 2 | 2,623 |
Manchester | 1,624 | 10 | 96 | 0 | 1,730 |
Bootle | 1,569 | 1 | 139 | 2 | 1,711 |
Birmingham | 1,937 | 7 | 312 | 2 | 2,258 |
Bristol | 841 | 10 | 51 | 3 | 905 |
Cardiff | 1,109 | 2 | 94 | 2 | 1,207 |
Wembley | 1,564 | 8 | 138 | 0 | 1,710 |
Sutton | 1,410 | 7 | 117 | 6 | 1,540 |
Glasgow | 1,093 | 0 | 56 | 1 | 1,150 |
DLAU Warbreck House | 2,379 | 23 | 464 | 5 | 2,871 |
Other MUs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Great Britain | 17,809 | 81 | 1,802 | 27 | 19,719 |
March 1993
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 1,042 | 5 | 89 | 5 | 1,141 |
Newcastle | 974 | 2 | 51 | 1 | 1,028 |
Leeds | 2,707 | 8 | 172 | 5 | 2,892 |
Manchester | 1,893 | 14 | 89 | 1 | 1,997 |
Bootle | 1,799 | 5 | 148 | 1 | 1,953 |
Birmingham | 2,467 | 10 | 266 | 3 | 2,746 |
Bristol | 1,030 | 2 | 67 | 2 | 1,101 |
Cardiff | 1,775 | 2 | 90 | 3 | 1,870 |
Wembley | 2,078 | 16 | 209 | 1 | 2,304 |
Sutton | 1,454 | 7 | 185 | 3 | 1,649 |
Glasgow | 1,827 | 2 | 86 | 0 | 1,915 |
DLAU Warbreck House | 1,080 | 13 | 257 | 8 | 1,358 |
Other MUs | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
Great Britain | 20,139 | 86 | 1,709 | 33 | 21,967 |
Annex A: Refusals on new claims for DLA by DBC April 1993
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 1,015 | 2 | 68 | 1 | 1,086 |
Newcastle | 940 | 0 | 64 | 0 | 1,004 |
Leeds | 2,375 | 6 | 131 | 1 | 2,513 |
Manchester | 1,519 | 7 | 85 | 2 | 1,613 |
Bootle | 1,728 | 1 | 115 | 1 | 1,845 |
Birmingham | 2,546 | 14 | 216 | 2 | 2,778 |
Bristol | 882 | 1 | 63 | 1 | 947 |
Cardiff | 1,298 | 0 | 76 | 2 | 1,376 |
Wembley | 1,601 | 17 | 170 | 3 | 1,791 |
Sutton | 1,617 | 7 | 142 | 3 | 1,769 |
Glasgow | 1,623 | 0 | 61 | 0 | 1,684 |
Dlau Warbreck House | 274 | 13 | 92 | 4 | 383 |
Other MUs | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Great Britain | 17,427 | 68 | 1,283 | 20 | 18,798 |
May 1993
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 868 | 0 | 52 | 1 | 921 |
Newcastle | 960 | 1 | 59 | 2 | 1,022 |
Leeds | 2,228 | 3 | 115 | 2 | 2,348 |
Manchester | 1,414 | 4 | 63 | 1 | 1,482 |
Bootle | 1,453 | 2 | 71 | 0 | 1,526 |
Birmingham | 2,003 | 3 | 182 | 4 | 2,192 |
Bristol | 729 | 4 | 67 | 1 | 801 |
Cardiff | 2,136 | 1 | 98 | 1 | 2,236 |
Wembley | 1,529 | 15 | 147 | 2 | 1,693 |
Sutton | 1,758 | 5 | 127 | 3 | 1,893 |
Glasgow | 1,990 | 0 | 63 | 0 | 2,053 |
Dlau Warbreck House | 103 | 1 | 42 | 0 | 146 |
Other MUs | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
Great Britain | 17,182 | 39 | 1,086 | 17 | 18,324 |
Annex A: Other refusals during 1992 1
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 1,021 | 3 | 46 | 2 | 1,072 |
Newcastle | 746 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 770 |
Leeds | 918 | 5 | 44 | 0 | 967 |
Manchester | 973 | 4 | 30 | 0 | 1,007 |
Bootle | 675 | 1 | 30 | 1 | 707 |
Birmingham | 971 | 5 | 51 | 1 | 1,028 |
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Bristol | 441 | 3 | 28 | 1 | 473 |
Cardiff | 668 | 1 | 29 | 0 | 698 |
Wembley | 806 | 11 | 57 | 2 | 876 |
Sutton | 791 | 8 | 50 | 3 | 852 |
Glasgow | — | — | — | — | — |
Dlau Warbreck House | 112 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 133 |
Other MUs | — | — | — | — | — |
Great Britain | 8,122 | 46 | 401 | 14 | 8,583 |
1 These cases were decided in 1992 but the exact month is not known. | |||||
(Figures are for cases cleared by a scan of the database during December 1992.) |
Annex A: Cumulative up to end of May 1993
| |||||
Lay grounds
| |||||
Medical grounds
| (a)
| (b)
| (c)
| Total
| |
Edinburgh | 23,863 | 39 | 2,245 | 47 | 26,194 |
Newcastle | 16,667 | 14 | 1,147 | 7 | 17,835 |
Leeds | 27,458 | 74 | 2,381 | 24 | 29,937 |
Manchester | 23,890 | 83 | 1,607 | 18 | 25,598 |
Bootle | 19,027 | 24 | 1,751 | 16 | 20,818 |
Birmingham | 27,248 | 95 | 3,163 | 41 | 30,547 |
Bristol | 11,179 | 48 | 1,387 | 24 | 12,638 |
Cardiff | 18,485 | 16 | 1,583 | 14 | 20,098 |
Wembley | 20,673 | 148 | 3,110 | 30 | 23,961 |
Sutton | 20,078 | 95 | 2,652 | 63 | 22,888 |
Glasgow | 6,533 | 2 | 266 | 1 | 6,802 |
Dlau Warbreck House | 6,861 | 66 | 1,526 | 45 | 8,498 |
Other MUs | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
Great Britain | 221,998 | 704 | 22,818 | 330 | 245,850 |
Reasons for refusal on lay grounds are: | |||||
(a)—on grounds of age. | |||||
(b)—on grounds of residence and presence. | |||||
(c)—other reasons. |
Annex B: Refusals on top up claims for DLA for Great Britain
| ||||||
MobA
| AA
| |||||
Month
| Medical Grounds
| Lay Grounds
| Medical Grounds
| Lay Grounds
| ||
Month
| Age
| Other
| Total
| |||
1992
| ||||||
February | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
March | 106 | 0 | 62 | 8 | 0 | 176 |
April | 478 | 0 | 100 | 1 | 0 | 579 |
May | 1,240 | 3 | 211 | 1 | 2 | 1,457 |
June | 2,597 | 19 | 393 | 1 | 7 | 3,017 |
July | 3,882 | 22 | 523 | 4 | 4 | 4,435 |
August | 5,896 | 5 | 736 | 18 | 2 | 6,657 |
September | 5,690 | 7 | 713 | 1 | 2 | 6,413 |
October | 4,441 | 18 | 905 | 9 | 10 | 5,383 |
November | 2,592 | 8 | 578 | 1 | 2 | 3,181 |
December | 2,269 | 7 | 356 | 4 | 2 | 2,638 |
Others1 | 1,813 | 5 | 481 | 82 | 3 | 2,384 |
1993
| ||||||
January | 1,907 | 6 | 446 | 58 | 0 | 2,417 |
February | 2,073 | 18 | 425 | 35 | 1 | 2,552 |
March | 2,215 | 27 | 480 | 19 | 4 | 2,745 |
April | 1,869 | 25 | 581 | 25 | 5 | 2,505 |
May | 1,055 | 0 | 315 | 14 | 1 | 1,385 |
TOTAL | 40,134 | 170 | 7,309 | 281 | 45 | 47,939 |
1 These cases were decided in 1992 but the exact month is riot known. | ||||||
Figures are for cases cleared by a scan of the database during December 1992. |
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether the Benefits Agency has now completed its report on the differences in adjudication standards between disability benefit centres;
(2) what steps the Benefits Agency has taken to ensure consistency in adjudication decisions on disability living allowance between disability benefits centres.
The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend and a copy will be placed in the Library.
Letter from Michael Bichard to Sir John Hannam, dated 15 June 1993.
As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking (i) whether the Benefits Agency has now completed its report on the differences in adjudication standards between Disability Benefits Centres and (ii) what steps the Benefits Agency has taken to ensure consistency in adjudication decisions on Disability Living Allowance between Disability Benefits Centres.
A study concerning standards of adjudication in Disability Benefits Centres is still in progress and findings are not expected to become available until late August 1993. Thereafter, recommendations will be carefully analysed before any changes are implemented.
The aim of the study is to assess standards of adjudication, including variations, across the Disability Benefits Centres and the main Disability Living Allowance Unit(s) at Blackpool. It includes a physical examination of casework, research among staff and an analysis of data arising from Review and Appeals activities.
I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.