Please protest against cuts to benefits for deaf young people
2 February 2012
Despite fierce opposition from disability charities including NDCS, many deaf young people over 16 are set to lose their Disability Living Allowance (DLA) when it is abolished and replaced by a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) under the UK Government’s welfare reforms.
Decisions taken by the UK Government on welfare and benefits affect deaf children in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The Department for Work and Pensions recently published calculations suggesting that at least half a million disabled people would lose their benefits under their plans to replace DLA with PIP in 2013. And despite assurances from David Cameron that he "would never do anything that would hurt disabled children", those who stand to lose out include deaf young people between 16 and 24.
NDCS is now calling on parents and deaf young people across the UK to respond to the latest government consultation on PIP, to protest against these changes, highlighting how deaf young people will be affected. We will shortly be producing guidance on how to respond – please watch this space and look out for an email from the campaigns team in mid February.
The UK Government has stated that deaf children aged under 16 will continue to receive DLA as at present.
Deaf young person Nairi tells us how the changes will affect her...
Nairi, aged 17 and severely deaf, is a member of our Youth Advisory Board and stands to lose her DLA. She currently gets £19.55 a week lower rate care component of DLA which helps with the extra costs of her deafness.
Like many deaf young people, Nairi sometimes needs support to understand complex information, but this will probably not be enough to qualify her for PIP. In order to get PIP, deaf young people will have to show they need support to understand basic information not just complex information. Some will still qualify but many won’t.
Nairi is very worried about losing the money just before going to university and said “As you get older, especially when you have a job...you won’t get paid for time you’re at the hospital and I go there really often.” She also says that “you also need more things to keep up with hearing people. If they cut the money we get down, life will be really hard as we have a disadvantage.”
Although the UK Government backed down on a number of proposals that will reduce financial support to some deaf children, young people and their families in the House of Lords, all these gains were overturned by MPs in the House of Commons last night.
However, the UK Government have agreed to take into account the impact of the proposed assessment process on young people and have set up a ‘Young Persons Panel’ to look at the transition from DLA to PIP. Youth Advisory Board members hope to be on the panel so watch this space for more news on their progress.
Take Action!
Come back soon for some guidance on how to respond to the government consultation.
Separately, the Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) Campaign, of which NDCS is a member, is asking supporters to sign a petition to tell David Cameron to think again about other cuts affecting families with disabled children. Sign the petition now >
More information:
UK government consultation on new PIP assessment criteria (external website)
Contact: campaigns@ndcs.org.uk
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