Disability Benefits (Hansard, 26 January 1998)

§ 35. Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what reviews of disability benefit her Department has undertaken since 1 May. [23086]

§ Mr. Denham
Disability benefits are included in the Department's Comprehensive Spending Review, which was announced on 11 June last year. The review is a first step in our plan to modernise and improve the Social Security system, so that it helps people to work as far as they are able; provides appropriate support to those who cannot work; and makes the most effective use of the resources available.

§ 22. Mr. Amess
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on her plans for the reform of disability benefits. [23073]

§ Mr. Denham
We are committed to modernising the Social Security system so that it helps people to work as far as they are able; provides appropriate support to those who cannot work; and makes the most effective use of resources available. We want to encourage people who are disabled, or who have long-term health problems, to play a full part in society and to help them to help themselves wherever that is possible. This means being positive about people's abilities and their capacity rather than negative about their disabilities and incapacity.

§ Mr. Cousins
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reasons no official record of the therapeutic work experience of claimants on disability benefits is made; when guidance to Benefits Agency offices on this matter was last issued; and if this matter is under review. [24352]
109W

§ Mr. Denham
It is estimated that 1 per cent. of Incapacity Benefit recipients undertake paid work on the grounds that it is therapeutic. Guidance to Benefits Agency offices about therapeutic work was last updated in April 1997. We are currently reviewing the information collected on benefit recipients undertaking therapeutic work and considering how this might be improved to provide a better picture of the effectiveness of current provisions.
Sources:
1. Lonsdale, S., Lessof C. and Ferris, G. (1993) "Invalidity Benefit; a survey of recipients", London: HMSO.
2. 1995/6 Family Resources Survey.

§ 36. Mr. Woodward
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how participation in the welfare-to-work scheme will affect the status of those claiming disability living allowance. [23087]

§ Mr. Denham
The Government believe that work is the best form of welfare for people of working age, and have set aside £195 million to fund a programme improving opportunities for people with disabilities or long-term illness who want to work. Disabled people who are entitled to Disability Living Allowance can receive the benefit and participate in a welfare-to-work scheme, or undertake other work, without affecting their entitlement.

§ Mrs. Ewing
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the total number of recipients of(a) disability living allowance, (b) disability living allowance with mobility addition, (c) disability living allowance with care allowance and (d) disability living allowance with both mobility and care elements in the last year for which figures are available. [23649]

§ Mr. Denham
On the basis of the latest available information, which relates to November 1997, the numbers are(a) 1,956,000, (b) 1,709,000, (c) 1,344,000 and (d) 1,098,000.
Source:
Analytical Services Division: 5 per cent. data
Notes:
1. Figures rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. Figures do not sum as people can appear in more than one category.

§ Mrs. Ewing
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time taken for an appeal to be processed where an applicant has been refused disability living allowance. [23652]

§ Mr. Keith Bradley
The vast majority of Disability Living Allowance appeals are heard by Disability Appeal Tribunals. In July 1997, the average time from date of appeal to date of decision-issue in an appeal heard by a Disability Appeal Tribunal was 30 weeks based on information provided by the Independent Tribunal Service. There are a few cases, however, which are heard by Social Security Appeal Tribunals and the average clearance time for these was 37.3 weeks for the quarter ending 30 September 1997 according to data provided from Departmental statistics. There are some difficulties with the robustness of the base data used for both sets of statistics. This is the best estimate available.
It is not possible to distinguish from available data whether the appeals are from applicants who have been refused Disability Living Allowance or are on other grounds such as the rate of benefit awarded.
110W

§ 37. Mr. Sanders
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest estimated costs of the disability benefit integrity projects; and if she will make a statement. [23088]

§ Mr. Field
One of our key aims is to rebuild integrity in, and public support for, the Social Security system and the way in which public money is spent. Benefits should go to those who are properly entitled to benefit. This is why we have continued with the Benefit Integrity Project.
The latest estimated total cost of the benefit integrity project is nearly £24 million over two years.