Disabled young people speak out about experience of benefit system

Tuesday 16th October

Campaigners urge Government to listen directly to young people

Today, a new report from the Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) campaign and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has raised concerns about the impact reforms to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will have on the ability of young disabled people aged 16-25 to establish independent living.

The report, Disabled Young People and Personal Independence Payments, cautions that not enough consultation has been done with disabled young people to ensure that Personal Independence Payments (PIP), which will replace DLA from October 2013, meet their needs. EDCM are urging Government to work more closely with disabled young people and to monitor the impact PIP has on them when it is introduced.

The report sets out four principles identified by disabled young people to help the benefit system support them effectively:

•    Participation - The Government needs to ensure that they are providing active opportunities for disabled young people to participate in the design of the benefit system.

•    Information - It is vital that disabled young people are provided with accessible information in a range of formats to ensure they are able to actively engage with benefits and assessments.

•    Advocacy - An independent advocate should be provided, where requested, to ensure that disabled young people are able to play an active role in their assessment and to get their voices heard.

•    Choice - There should be an element of 'choice' given to disabled young people to enable them to access an assessment process that best meets their needs.

Julie Jennings, Children, Young People and Families Manager at RNIB and EDCM Board Member said: "Personal Independence Payments have a major role to play in enabling young people to lead independent lives. This report highlights the importance of consultation with young people to ensure that financial support truly reflects their specific requirements. We urge the Department of Work and Pensions to take on board the 'top ten asks' from disabled young people and adopt these key principles when considering changes to the benefits system."

-       ENDS -

Notes to Editors

1. Every Disabled Child Matters is the national campaign to get rights and justice for every disabled child. It is run by four leading organisations working with disabled children and their families: Contact a Family, Council for Disabled Children, Mencap and the Special Educational Consortium. Find out more at www.edcm.org.uk

2. The EDCM report 'Disabled Young People and Personal Independence Payments' can be downloaded here: www.edcm.org.uk/media/42085/disabled_yp_and_pip_report.pdf