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| Disability benefits: Minister to review assessment regulations | Disability benefits: Minister to review assessment regulations |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ministers are reviewing how disability assessments are carried out following criticism of changes to Personal Independence Payments. | |
| Only those who cannot walk for more than 20m - rather than the previous 50m distance - will qualify for PIPs. | Only those who cannot walk for more than 20m - rather than the previous 50m distance - will qualify for PIPs. |
| But peers said the regulations did not include the requirement that tasks could be done "reliably, safely, repeatedly and in a timely manner". | But peers said the regulations did not include the requirement that tasks could be done "reliably, safely, repeatedly and in a timely manner". |
| Welfare Minister Lord Freud said he was looking "very actively" at the issue. | Welfare Minister Lord Freud said he was looking "very actively" at the issue. |
| Lord Freud came under fire over the new system of Personal Independence Payments, which replaces Disability Living Allowance, during question time in the Lords. | Lord Freud came under fire over the new system of Personal Independence Payments, which replaces Disability Living Allowance, during question time in the Lords. |
| Legal challenge | Legal challenge |
| Ministers say the new benefit will be targeted at those who need it most. | Ministers say the new benefit will be targeted at those who need it most. |
| Independent crossbench peer Lord Alton of Liverpool said the new regulations failed to include the phrase "reliably, safely, repeatedly and in a timely manner" - used as the criteria to decide whether people can carry out essential tasks such as walking and dressing. | Independent crossbench peer Lord Alton of Liverpool said the new regulations failed to include the phrase "reliably, safely, repeatedly and in a timely manner" - used as the criteria to decide whether people can carry out essential tasks such as walking and dressing. |
| Lord Alton said one third of disabled people lived in poverty and it was estimated 42% fewer people would be eligible for mobility allowance. | Lord Alton said one third of disabled people lived in poverty and it was estimated 42% fewer people would be eligible for mobility allowance. |
| The revelation that some people "will have their specially adapted vehicles taken away from them or offered to them to buy" had caused "widespread disbelief and considerable distress", he added. | The revelation that some people "will have their specially adapted vehicles taken away from them or offered to them to buy" had caused "widespread disbelief and considerable distress", he added. |
| Liberal Democrat Baroness Thomas of Winchester said: "If these words were not made statutory in some way or another, the number of appeals would rocket so much and there would be such a period of uncertainty in so many ways for so many people that it is not worth not putting them in." | Liberal Democrat Baroness Thomas of Winchester said: "If these words were not made statutory in some way or another, the number of appeals would rocket so much and there would be such a period of uncertainty in so many ways for so many people that it is not worth not putting them in." |
| Lord Freud said he recognised the strength of feeling and the government was "very actively" looking at putting the words into the regulations "in a way that works legally". | Lord Freud said he recognised the strength of feeling and the government was "very actively" looking at putting the words into the regulations "in a way that works legally". |
| He said he hoped to present peers with a "definitive" approach in a week's time. | He said he hoped to present peers with a "definitive" approach in a week's time. |
| 'Inadequate discussion' | 'Inadequate discussion' |
| Crossbencher Baroness Grey-Thompson, a Paralympic gold medallist, hit out at a "lack of consultation" on the changes, stating that the 20m walking rule for eligibility for the ehanced rate of PIPs should have been included in consultation documents. | |
| She told Lord Freud there was a "real risk that this is open to judicial review". | She told Lord Freud there was a "real risk that this is open to judicial review". |
| Conservative Lord Sterling of Plaistow, chairman and co-founder of Motability - which provides more than 620,000 vehicles for disabled people - also criticised the proposals. | Conservative Lord Sterling of Plaistow, chairman and co-founder of Motability - which provides more than 620,000 vehicles for disabled people - also criticised the proposals. |
| He warned: "There is concern amongst disabled people at the recent change from the 50m to the 20m as the distance specified in the regulations for high rate mobility (allowance)." | He warned: "There is concern amongst disabled people at the recent change from the 50m to the 20m as the distance specified in the regulations for high rate mobility (allowance)." |
| Lord Freud responded: "I have to accept that there was not adequate discussion on this and there is not adequate understanding, just from the concerns I am hearing today about this." | Lord Freud responded: "I have to accept that there was not adequate discussion on this and there is not adequate understanding, just from the concerns I am hearing today about this." |
| The Department of Work and Pensions maintains it is making an out-dated benefit much clearer, and that broadly the same number of people will be entitled to extra mobility help. | The Department of Work and Pensions maintains it is making an out-dated benefit much clearer, and that broadly the same number of people will be entitled to extra mobility help. |