§ Mr. BlizzardTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that support is available for people suffering from mental illness to enable them to fill in application forms for disability living allowance. [115904]
§ Maria EagleThe Disability and Carers Service have a wide range of support services available for people who may need assistance in claiming disability living allowance or attendance allowance, because of a particular illness or disability such as mental health problems. We will provide a form completion service, on request, in a format best suited to the customer"s individual needs. This may be over the telephone where a trained adviser will talk the customer carefully through the claims process; in person, by appointment, at one of the Department"s customer outlets; or exceptionally, a home visit pan be arranged. Additionally, we provide benefit information and advice to external customer organisations that provide an external source of help and support to people with an illness or disability.