HC Deb 11 May 1999 vol 331 cc127-8W
Mr. Gordon Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what information was used to identify those higher rate Disability Living Allowance claimants who qualified for exemption under the Benefit Integrity Project; [82457]

(2) what definition of severe mental impairment was used to exempt claimants from assessment under the Benefit Integrity Project; [82458]

(3) what estimate he has made of the number of exempt claimants who were contacted in error under the Benefit Integrity Project; [82486]

(4) what categories of higher rate Disability Living Allowance claimants were exempt from assessment under the Benefit Integrity Project. [82487]

Mr. Bayley

The Benefit Integrity Project (BIP) came to an end on the 31 March 1999. During the period of its operation various groups were exempted from the scope of the Project as information became available to show that for some categories of award there was a low rate of change on review. A complete list of those groups exempted from the operation of the Project is listed. No estimate has been made of the number who may have been contacted in error by the Project, however, safeguards were put in place to reduce such a possibility to a minimum. There is a statutory definition of Severe Mental Impairment which is set out. This applies to all Disability Living Allowance (DLA) cases.

Claimants in receipt of higher rate mobility component and either the highest or middle rate care component who were shown to be:

  • paraplegic
  • quadriplegic
  • double amputees
  • those who are both deaf and blind
  • those who are defined as being severely mentally impaired or
  • those paid under special rules
  • claimants who are aged 65 or over

Claimants in receipt of higher rate mobility component and the highest rate care component who were shown to have:

  • cystic fibrosis
  • dementia
  • haemodialysis
  • hyperkinetic syndrome
  • motor neurone disease
  • multiple allergy syndrome
  • total parenteral nutrition
  • a learning difficulty
  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Parkinsons Disease or
  • severe and progressive neurological or muscle wasting disease

All claimants who were in receipt of Attendance Allowance or Mobility Allowance and were converted to DLA in April 1992.

Definition of Severe Mental Impairment (SMI)

A person can satisfy the SMI provisions for the higher rate mobility component of DLA if:

1. they are severely mentally impaired, Sec 73(3)(a) Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act ie they suffer from an arrested development of the brain, which results in severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning, Reg 12(5) Social Security DLA Regs,

and

2. they display severe behavioural problems, Sec 73(3)(b) SS C & B Act ie they exhibit disruptive behaviour which;

(a) is extreme, Reg 12(6)(a) SS DLA Regs

(b) regularly requires another person to intervene and physically restrain them in order to prevent them causing physical injury to themselves or another, or damage to property, Reg 12(6)(b) SS DLA Regs,

and

(c) is so unpredictable that they require another person to be present and watching over them whenever they are awake, Reg 12(6)(c) SS DLA Regs,

and

3. they satisfy both the conditions in Sec 72 (1)(b) and (c) SS C & B Act ie satisfies the conditions for the highest rate care component.