§ Annabelle EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many applications for disability living allowance were received from applicants in Perth constituency for the period 31 May 2000 to 31 May 2001; how many of those applications were refused at first instance; how many of those applicants whose applications were refused appealed; and how many of such appeals were successful(a) in whole and (b) in part. [30871]
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§ Maria EagleIn the year ending 31 May 2001, approximately 200 first applications for disability living allowance in Perth were successful at the claim stage, and 100 were unsuccessful. Local information (on a constituency basis) about appeals is not available.
§ John CryerTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy in respect of a claimant in receipt of a higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance who claims a core component to require medical information to be obtained from the claimant's doctor before a decision to refuse a claim is taken. [27220]
§ Maria EagleThe mobility and care components of disability living allowance have separate qualifying criteria and entitlement to one component does not necessarily imply, or result in, entitlement to the other.
Disability living allowance is primarily a self-assessment benefit with no automatic requirement to obtain further evidence to support a claim. The obtaining of additional evidence on a claim inevitably increases the time taken to process it—sometimes substantially—and an approach will only be made to a claimant's doctor for further medical evidence when it is considered necessary and the doctor is deemed to be the most appropriate source for it.