Care home residents to receive mobility payments
Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller, has announced that disabled people who live in residential care will continue to have their additional mobility needs met through Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
After months of consultation with disabled people and disability organisations, and the publication of the Low Review, the government has announced the decision.
An amendment to the Welfare Reform Bill will be brought forward to enable this payment to be carried out through PIP.
Maria Miller said:
“The reasoning behind the original decision was to ensure there were no overlaps in funding leading to double payments. We have spent the last few months gathering information and evidence and visiting disabled people in care homes to find out directly from them how their mobility needs are actually met in practice.
“We found a complex set of overlapping responsibilities have evolved which have allowed different local authorities to deal with the issue of funding of mobility in care homes in very different ways and some practices which have lead to overlaps in funding.
“However, I have always been clear that I would not make any change that would stop disabled people from getting out and about. Which is why after listening to the strong concerns of disabled people and their organisations, I have taken action and decided not to remove the payment.”
Amanda Frewin
Research & Project Support
