Ministers were urged today to ensure eligibility tests for a new disability benefit are "​accurate and fair"​ before they are rolled out nationally.

The Work and Pensions Select Committee said there were "​high levels of anxiety"​ among claimants of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), which is to be replaced with the new Personal Independence Payment for those of working age.

The Treasury has projected 20% savings under the new system, to be introduced in 2013, but it was still unclear which claimants stand to lose their benefits, the committee said in a report today.

Committee chairwoman and Labour MP Dame Anne Begg said the new assessment must avoid the mistakes of that used for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) from 2008, which had a "​mechanistic, box-ticking approach"​

"​The Government'​s own estimates show that 500,000 fewer people will receive support by 2015-16 compared to the situation if DLA for working-age claimants had continued,"​ she said.

"​Announcing the change against a background of budget cuts, and the previous negative experience which many people have had with the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), has created high levels of anxiety amongst DLA recipients."​

The committee said the tests should not be implemented nationally until a limited regional trial had proved successful.

"​The Government needs to be certain that the new assessment procedure is accurate and fair before it is introduced,"​ Dame Anne said.

"​Otherwise, there is a risk that people with serious disabilities and health conditions will lose the money they rely on to meet the additional costs incurred as a result of their disability - costs such as maintaining wheelchairs, using specially adapted cars, or paying for help to ensure they can live independe​ntly."​

Disability campaigners urged the Government to heed the MPs'​ report.

More from the Huffington Post

Comments

Write comments...
or post as a guest
Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.

Be the first to comment.

We use cookies

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential for the operation of the site, while others help us to improve this site and the user experience (tracking cookies). You can decide for yourself whether you want to allow cookies or not. Please note that if you reject them, you may not be able to use all the functionalities of the site.