Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Disability Living Allowance

Monday 17 March 2025 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Questions addressed concerns over explanations for disability living allowance reductions.
  • Government aims to improve engagement of young disabled people with the benefit system through reforms.
  • Government plans to publish a Green Paper on reforming the health and disability benefit system.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Will Stone Lab Swindon North
Benefits & Welfare
Context

Recent trends show a significant number of disability living allowance cases being incorrectly reduced to lower rates without clear explanations.

Question

What assessment has she made of the potential implications for her policies of recent trends in levels of disability living allowance cases that have been incorrectly reduced to a lower rate without an explanation?

Answer from The Minister for Social Security and Disability (Sir Stephen Timms)

There should be no benefit decisions without explanation. Claim decisions should always be set out with the reasons. If a decision is unclear, or if the reasons for it are unclear, a further detailed verbal or written explanation can be requested and will be provided.

Answered
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Q2 Will Stone Lab Swindon North
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The questioner seeks to address the engagement of young disabled people with the benefit system while working.

Question

How will this Government support young disabled people to have a positive engagement with the benefit system alongside work?

Answer from The Minister for Social Security and Disability (Sir Stephen Timms)

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to press for improvements. We want to change how we think about jobcentres and the benefit system. Our youth work coaches talk a lot to disabled young people and are very keen to help more. Our reforms are making that possible, by giving better help and support, and by opening up new opportunities for disabled young people up and down the country.

Partly answered
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Q3 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Benefits & Welfare
Context

The questioner notes that his staff overturns 75% of disability living allowance applications in favor of the applicant, indicating a systemic issue.

Question

How will this Government address concerns about the high rate of overturned disability living allowance appeals and ensure that constituents with mental and physical issues receive adequate support?

Answer from The Minister for Social Security and Disability (Sir Stephen Timms)

Again, the hon. Gentleman is right to call for improvements. We want to see improvements in assessments, and he is probably well aware that we will shortly be publishing a Green Paper with proposals for reform to the health and disability benefit system. We will have something to say about this in that document.

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