1. Benefit Changes
Manchester Link Meeting - Further to a meeting I attended on Feb 21st 2012 with a Steve
Cova, speaker from the DWP I was told changes to the Incapacity Benefit and Disability
Living Allowance.
These changes are going to affect me and my mother who is still under the pension age.
 The IB50 Incapacity benefit form is changing to the SA50. It is focused more on
what you can do day to day and not what you cannot do
 Reassessments for all under the state pension age.
 4 weeks for form to be completed – I raised issues regarding if this was an
adequate time for people to get evidence from psychiatrists, GP, support
workers etc
 Claimants are being urged to describe their worst possible day in the form – I raised
the point that people need assistance filling in forms and it is overwhelming for
some to even attempt to look at a form
 50% of claimants are decided without being seen at an assessment if evidence is
already there in the SA50 form – people being urged to get as much evidence as
possible to avoid the assessment procedure
 ATOS assessor’s board do assessments - I raised the point that since they are
contracted out to assess people with a mental illness or mental health
problem, why they do not have anyone on the assessors board with a mental
health problem to give a balanced view on the customers situation. DWP said
that ATOS are meant to be impartial.
Following the assessment, decisions for claims for Incapacity benefit will be now put into
three groups:
1. Support group – not likely to work in the near future and will not be reassessed
again
2. R.A.G ESA – Worked related activity group – within the next 3 months to 2 years can
go to work with a job centre link
3. Not entitled to Incapacity Benefit – Claim stopped and apply for JSA. If not entitled
customer can go on to appeal procedure and 60% are successful and can stay on
benefits during appeal process. Don’t give up and go for an appeal
Currently 1,000 people in Manchester UK are needing to being reassessed. I explained that
this is opening up a lot of uncertainty for people with a mental health problem. An
organisation named Work Choice have been contracted in to help people with complex
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2. mental health issues and to provide assisted work placements. The words used from the
DWP were a “hand holding process for people returning to the workplace”. Help can also be
obtained from the disabled employment advisor at the Job Centre.
Disability Living Allowance
 5 million UK claimants of Disability Living Allowance in the UK
 This is changing to the Personal Independence Payment (P.I.P)
 More focus on the mentally ill for the application form and assessment
 2,000 people per week to be assessed over the following 3 years period (From April
2013 – April 2016)
 This is still in draft and being finalised at present and will be changing to the Personal
Independent Payment.
 Effective from April 2013
 Components are changing from 3 rates to 2 rates:
 Daily Living Component – 2 rates
 Mobility Component – 2 rates
Any change in new circumstances from Summer 2012 – like an address change will
automatically trigger a reassessment
Anyone over the state pension age may not be affected, as this could cause complications to
other associated benefits but this is still TBC
From autumn 2012, it is likely people will be notified about the new P.I.P
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