There had been questions about whether or not the government would actually increase benefits in April 2012 in line with September's 5.2% inflation.
Fortunately in today's Autumn Statement Osborne announced that working age benefits will be going up by 5.2% after all. This will include the disability component of Tax Credits, but not other Tax Credits.
The other bit of good news is that The Times is reporting today that the government is set to abandon it's plan to confiscate the mobility component of DLA from those resident in care homes. This must be a huge relief to residents who had been facing the prospect of effectively being sentenced to a life of never going out again. Though Sue Marsh speculates that the idea was only ever a tactic to make the government appear sympathetic by giving one concession.
Campaigning against the government's distressing war on disabled benefit claimants. All posts represent the opinions of their respective authors and not WtB as a whole.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/lbill/2010-2012/0114/2012114.pdf
ReplyDeleteSmoke and Mirrors
Until DLA is abolished then the rules for PIP are somewhat strict
the following is on PIP for care home regulations
84 Persons receiving certain services
(1) Regulations may provide as mentioned in either or both of the following
paragraphs—
(a) that no amount in respect of personal independence payment which is
attributable to entitlement to the daily living component is payable in
respect of a person for a period when the person meets the condition in
subsection (2);
(b) that no amount in respect of personal independence payment which is
attributable to entitlement to the mobility component is payable in
respect of a person for a period when the person meets the condition in
subsection (2).
(2) The condition is that the person is an in-patient of a hospital or similar
institution, or a resident of a care home, in circumstances in which any of the
costs of any qualifying services provided for the person are borne out of public
or local funds by virtue of a specified enactment.
(3) In this section “care home” means an establishment that provides
accommodation together with nursing or personal care.
(4) The following are “qualifying services” for the purposes of subsection (2)—
(a) medical or other treatment which the person is undergoing as an inpatient;
(b) accommodation;
(c) board;
(d) personal care;
(e) such other services as may be prescribed.
Persons of pensionable age
(1) A person is not entitled to the daily living component or the mobility
component for any period after the person reaches the relevant age.
(2) In subsection (1) “the relevant age” means—
(a) pensionable age (within the meaning given by the rules in paragraph 1
of Schedule 4 to the Pensions Act 1995); or
(b) if higher, 65.
(3) Subsection (1) is subject to such exceptions as may be provided by regulations.
Are these changes now set in stone?
ReplyDeleteI will believe it when I see it.
ReplyDelete