Our commitment to help support disabled people live independent lives runs at the heart of our welfare reforms.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) gives essential support to many people, including thousands of people in Colchester. I know from the letters I receive from local MPs disabled people tell us the claim form is too long, too complex and unclear, leading to widespread inconsistencies in the way DLA supports disabled people with similar needs in different parts of the country.

As if that were not enough, there is no straightforward way of reviewing DLA.

People with short-term conditions can be treated in the same way as those with life-long conditions – with no in-built system of periodic review.

We support the principles of DLA – providing a non-means tested cash benefit to help people, both in and out of work, with the extra costs incurred by their disability.

But the current system is long overdue for reform, which is why we are proposing to replace it with the Personal Independence Payment. I want to reassure the thousands of people in Colchester who receive DLA their views will be reflected in any changes we make.

We are undertaking a nationwide consultation with disabled people and representative groups to make sure this support is better focused and goes to people who need it, and that periodic review is part of the assessment process.

The new system will also allow us to reassess those on DLA over time – something that is lacking under the current system.

The current deeply flawed and complicated system has resulted in spiralling costs over the years. In Colchester the number of people receiving DLA has soared by 34 per cent in just eight years from 5,290 to 7,070. Nationally, the expenditure this year is forecast at £12billion, which is the equivalent of the Department for Transport’s entire budget.

This is why we are proposing major reforms to better reflect the needs of disabled people. By focusing resources on those who need them, we will continue to provide essential support for disabled people while delivering a 20 per cent reduction in future DLA expenditure – not by taking money away from disabled people, but by reducing expenditure back down to the level it was in 2009/10.

We will help people lead full, active and independent lives.

We are inviting disabled people and other interested parties to let us know their views. The consultation is on the Department for Work and Pensions website www.dwp.gov.uk and people have until February 14 to let us know what they think about our proposals.

Maria Miller
Minister for Disabled
People