HC Deb 10 December 2002 vol 396 cc280-1W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what benefits are available to children with mental health problems. [83187]

Maria Eagle

The term "mental health problems" covers a wide variety of symptoms. Where those symptoms impair a child's normal functioning to the extent that they amount to a severe mental disability, the child may be entitled to Disability Living Allowance1. The additional benefits which, subject to the normal entitlement conditions, are available to families with disabled children who qualify for Disability Living Allowance are shown in the table. The Family Fund Trust, which is funded by government, also provides grants to families of severely disabled children in order to ease the stress of their day-to-day life.

Benefits available to families with children with a mental disability who qualify for Disability Living Allowance Disabled child's Disability Living Allowance component and rate Care component (all rates) and mobility component (all rates). Highest rate care component. Highest or middle rate care component. Higher rate mobility component.

Additional benefits that may be available to families of severely disabled children Disabled child premium in income related benefits2, or disabled child tax credit in Disabled Person's Tax Credit or Working Families Tax Credit. Enhanced disability premium and the disabled child premium in income related benefits, or enhanced disability tax credit. Invalid Care Allowance3 Access to the Motability. "Blue Badge" and Vehicle Excise Duty Exemption schemes.

Notes:

1 Children under 16 years of age with a mental disability can qualify for the care component and the lower rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance if they are so severely disabled that their need for attention, supervision or watching over by another person is substantially in excess of that normally required by children of their age. Those who qualify for the highest rate of the care component may also qualify for the higher rate of the mobility component if they exhibit extreme and unpredictable disruptive behaviour as the result of arrested or incomplete development of the brain.

2 Income Support, Jobseekers Allowance (income related), Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

3 Entitlement to Invalid Care Allowance can also give entitlement to the Carer Premium in income related benefits.