§ Mr. Alfred MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment has been made of how the Benefits Agency has handled the transition to the introduction of disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottDisability living allowance was introduced on 6 April 1992. Transition began in February 1992 and has been a major exercise because the benefit was introduced without phasing providing for claims to be taken to both DLA and the existing benefits—attendance allowance (AA) and mobility allowance (Mob A)—during the transitional period. During this period, claims to AA and Mob A continued at a very high rate and existing beneficiaries were contacted and invited to claim any extra benefit to which they might be entitled. Claims were also encouraged from wholly new claimants. From March 1992 claims for AA and Mob A began to be transferred from the central units in Blackpool to the disability benefit centres, which administer DLA regionally.
The transition exercise has been accompanied by a wide-ranging publicity campaign designed to promote the new benefit and to reassure existing beneficiaries. This high-profile approach has stimulated a high level of claims at a time when staff are still becoming familiar with the new benefit resulting in longer clearance times. The Benefits Agency is processing these claims as quickly as possible.
§ 38. Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that those in receipt of an incapacity benefit will not have their incapacity for work questioned on the ground of serving on a disability appeal tribunal.
§ Mr. ScottRecent amendments to the invalidity benefit and severe disablement allowance regulations will ensure that beneficiaries of these two benefits will not have their incapacity for work questioned if they serve on a disability appeal tribunal for one day a week or less.
§ 39. Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the BBC select series on the "The Way Ahead," will be resumed; and what further plans he has for publicising the new disability benefits over the next six months.
§ Mr. ScottWe shall be considering proposals for further publicity relating to disability living allowance and disability working allowance in the light of early findings from the monitoring of the introduction of the benefits. As part of this process, we shall decide, after negotiation with the BBC, when further material from the series "The Way Ahead" should be broadcast.
§ 40. Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide figures showing the total expenditure by his Department to date on(a) the disability working allowance and (b) the lower rate component, care and mobility, of the disability living allowance.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to carry out ongoing98W monitoring of the new disability benefits; if he will give details of what aspects of each benefit will be covered; and whether the results of any such monitoring will be published on a regular basis and made available to the public;
(2) what research projects into the operation of the new benefits for people with disabilities he is planning to undertake (a) within the Department of Social Security and (b) outside the Department of Social Security; and if he will provide details of the scope and timescale of such research and his Department's own plans for dissemination of the findings.
§ Mr. ScottWe shall be monitoring closely the operation of disability living allowance and disability working allowance in a number of ways. We shall collect regularly a wide range of statistical material for both benefits relating to claims, reviews and appeals. In addition, the chief adjudication officer will monitor decisions made by adjudication officers, and the disability living allowance advisory board will keep the disability handbook under close review. Information obtained from these activities will be readily available.
We hope also that we shall be able to continue the successful liaison with representatives of organisations who come into contact with, or represent, disabled people so that the causes of any difficulties which they identify in the operation of the new benefits are examined as quickly as possible.
We are considering what further research, either internal or external, is required in order to establish the extent to which the new benefits achieve the objectives set out in the Command Paper "The Way Ahead".
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to ensure that Department of Social Security visiting officers will always be made available to disability living allowance applicants who require assistance with completing a self-assessment claim form and that claimants who cannot complete a form without such assistance will not be required to undergo medical examination solely on the ground that a visiting officer is not available.
§ Mr. ScottThe administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what evidence has been received by his Department of difficulties with respect to self-assessment claim forms for disability living allowance and disability working allowance either(a) by claimants or (b) adjudication officers; and whether he is planning to meet with officials from the Office of the Chief Adjudication Officer to consider the need to make any changes to the wording of claim forms to facilitate accurate and prompt decision-making.
§ Mr. ScottWe have received no evidence of difficulties but over the coming months we will be undertaking a review of the claim packs for both disability living allowance and attendance allowance, with a view to making improvements where necessary. As part of that review, officials will consult not only the central adjudication service but other interested parties, in 99W particular, organisations of and for disabled people. The disability working allowance self-assessment disability test form is primarily for use in renewal claims and has, therefore, not yet been used.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of applications received by his Department for the mobility component of the disability living allowance under the new provisions for people who are severely mentally impaired and display severe behavioural problems; and if he will provide a breakdown by(a) the number and percentage of these that resulted in an award, (b) the number and percentage that were refused and (c) the number and percentage refused, by grounds for refusal.
§ Mr. ScottIn general, claims for disability living allowance are made for the benefit as a whole, rather than for individual rates of components—although customers may choose to supply details about only one of the two components if they wish. An adjudication officer then determines whether there is entitlement to the benefit and, if so, at which rate or rates. Initial statistical returns indicate that of the claims for disability living allowance decided between 3 February and 30 April 1992 there were 31 awards of the higher rate mobility component on the grounds that the person was severely mentally impaired and displayed severe behavioural problems.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been spent to date on publicising the new disability benefits; what measurable efficiency targets have been established by his Department; whether he plans to compare the success rates of disability living allowance and disability working allowance applications against such targets or in any other way to evaluate the effectiveness of the publicity; and whether a report will be published and made available to the public.
§ Mr. ScottTo date, the Department has spent £3.77 million, on press and television advertising, leaflets, and the BBC Select television programmes to promote the new disability benefits and the new rules for attendance allowance. Details of further expenditure—including the cost of direct mailings to health professionals and advisers, and of telephone response lines—are not yet available. All television and press advertising includes an evaluation of the coverage of the target audiences. In addition, we are currently conducting customary tracking research to evaluate the effectiveness of the publicity campaign. The results of that research will be used to help us target more effectively any future publicity. A copy of the report will be placed in the Library in due course. Early indications are that the advertising campaign has been highly successful, having generated 295,000 responses so far.
Uprating date Rale of child benefit for eldest eligible child £ Rate of child benefit for each other child £ Rate for each child if uprated by earnings since April 19791 £ April 1979 4.00 4.00 4.00 November 1980 4.75 4.75 5.35 November 1981 5.25 5.25 5.95 November 1982 5.85 5.85 6.45 November 1983 6.50 6.50 7.05 November 1984 6.85 6.85 7.40 November 1985 7.00 7.00 8.05 July 1986 7.10 7.10 8.50 April 1987 7.25 7.25 8.90 April 1988 7.25 7.25 9.60