Context
A constituent faces significant health-related care costs and fears potential changes to his status would impact his ability to continue working.
Question
One of my constituents is a highly educated, high-earning civil servant who has serious care needs as a result of a bad accident 30 years ago. His needs are currently assessed as health-related by the NHS, covering £81,000 in annual costs. If reassessed as social care needs, he would be required to exhaust his savings. Each year during his disability assessment, there is unfair suspicion regarding his ability to work despite already being employed. Do Ministers understand these concerns?
Answer from The Minister for Social Security and Disability (Sir Stephen Timms)
Yes, I definitely do understand his concerns. Our view is that disabled people should have the same chance to work—the same opportunities—that everyone else takes for granted, and we want to work with disabled people to reform the system to ensure that that is what they get. In the spring, we will publish a Green Paper on reforms to the health conditions and disability benefits system.
Not addressed: The specific concern about disincentives impacting current employment was not directly addressed with concrete actions or timelines.
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