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Disabled: Social Security Benefits

Volume 503: debated on Wednesday 6 January 2010

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many respondees to the Social Care Green Paper (a) supported and (b) opposed changes to attendance allowance and disability living allowance. (307690)

The public consultation on the Green Paper “Shaping the Future of Care Together”, received around 29,000 responses overall. Analysis of all the responses is currently under way, and it would be misleading to comment or provide data on the results until this is analysis is fully completed. The Government will be publishing an analysis of the consultation early this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of (a) attendance allowance and (b) disability living allowance which is typically spent on (i) activities of daily living and (ii) instrumental activities of daily living. (307692)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 8 December 2009, Official Report, column 206, what plans the Government has to disburse (a) attendance allowance and disability living allowance and (b) a cash equivalent through local authorities. (307695)

If disability benefits for older people are reformed as part of the National Care Service, those receiving the affected benefits at the time of reform would continue to receive the same level of cash support. We will give more details about the National Care Service offer in our White Paper later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 8 December 2009, Official Report, column 154, whether an equivalent level of support includes non-care services currently purchased by money made available through attendance allowance or disability living allowance; and whether an assessment for cash disbursement includes non-care services currently purchased by money made available through these allowances; (307715)

(2) whether he plans to limit the services on which people may spend their entitlement under the Government’s proposals for the care system.

We have not taken any decisions on whether some disability benefits for older people will be reformed in the new care and support system. If disability benefits for older people are reformed as part of the National Care Service, those receiving the affected benefits at the time of reform would continue to receive the same level of cash support. We also know that the flexibility of disability benefits is valued by those who receive them, and we want to ensure that those in receipt of affected benefits at the time of reform retain control over how they spend their cash support.

Under the new care and support system, once people are assessed they will get a personal budget rather than being told what services they should receive and will receive support in using this resource. Some people will choose to take their budget as cash, and pay for everything directly themselves. Others will prefer to let someone else manage the funding on their behalf—either someone from the local authority or a family member or friend. People will have the control to get the services they want.

We will give more details about the National Care Service offer in our White Paper later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether people currently eligible for (a) attendance allowance and (b) disability living allowance would receive (i) an equivalent level of support, (ii) an equivalent cash payment and (iii) an equivalent cash payment in addition to any other funds received under the proposals in the Government’s Social Care Green Paper. (307717)

As we said in the Green Paper, if we were to draw some disability benefits for older people into the new National Care Service, we would create a new offer for individuals with care needs. This support would be delivered in line with the best principles of the current benefits system: a universal entitlement, with flexible methods of payment, and a focus on lower-level needs and prevention. It is our aim to deliver a better joined-up service, with people only needing one assessment of their needs to gain access to a whole range of care and support services. We will give more details about the National Care Service offer in our White Paper later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) assessment he has made of and (b) modelling his Department has undertaken on the relationship between the group that currently receives (i) attendance allowance and (ii) disability living allowance and groups that would receive support under the Government’s proposed reform for the social care system. (307718)

We have not taken any decisions on whether some benefits for older people will be reformed in the new care and support system. If we do decide to integrate some benefits for older people into the new care and support system, we will provide further details in our White Paper later this year.

However, we said in our Green Paper “Shaping the Future of Care and Support Together” that we think we should create a new and better care and support system, looking at how we can make the best use of public money to provide a joined-up, consistent and fair care and support system. This would enable the greatest public support to go to those who will benefit from it most, both people who have developed low levels of need and people with high levels of need, and would ensure a fair and consistent allocation of resources. We want to make sure that people with low to moderate needs continue to get the support they need to live independently, building on the role that disability benefits play and considering how this might be best achieved in a new care and support system.

The Personal Social Services Research Unit, which is part of the London School of Economics, has been commissioned by the Department to conduct detailed financial modelling of the new care and support system. Their methodology and interim report was published in July on their website at: www.pssru.ac.uk/pdf/dp2644.pdf, and in the impact assessment published alongside the Green Paper. This work is ongoing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people who are eligible for (a) attendance allowance and (b) disability living allowance who would cease to receive support under each proposal set out in the Green Paper on Social Care. (307719)

We have not taken any decisions on whether some benefits for older people will be reformed in the new care and support system. If disability benefits for older people are reformed as part of the National Care Service, those receiving the affected benefits at the time of reform would continue to receive the same level of cash support. We will give more details about the National Care Service offer in our White Paper later this year.