This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24680366

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 7 Version 8
Welfare changes for disabled people delayed Welfare changes for disabled people delayed
(about 2 hours later)
The government's welfare changes for disabled people in England, Scotland and Wales have been delayed.The government's welfare changes for disabled people in England, Scotland and Wales have been delayed.
People will move from Disability Living Allowance to the Personal Independence Payment next week only in certain areas instead of the whole of Great Britain. Some claimants will move from Disability Living Allowance to the Personal Independence Payment next week - but only in certain areas.
Work and pensions minister Mike Penning said reassessing people was "taking longer than expected", but introducing the scheme "gradually" was beneficial.Work and pensions minister Mike Penning said reassessing people was "taking longer than expected", but introducing the scheme "gradually" was beneficial.
Labour's Rachel Reeves said it showed there was "chaos" in the department.Labour's Rachel Reeves said it showed there was "chaos" in the department.
Claimants will remain on Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for the time being except those in Wales, the East and West Midlands and East Anglia, who will transfer to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from Monday if their condition changes. Over the next few years the government is moving around 3.3 million Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants, aged 16-64, to the new benefit - the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
DLA - worth between £21 and £134.40 a week - is available to disabled people who have difficulty walking or need help to look after themselves.
Under the PIP system, which introduces written and face-to-face assessments, claimants will receive a daily living component of either £53 or £79.15 and a mobility component of either £21 or £55.25.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) says the new system will be simpler and fairer and is essential to control costs to the taxpayer, which have risen to £13bn a year since DLA was introduced in 1992.
But charities and campaigners have argued it is unfair that millions of vulnerable people face a long period of anxiety while they wait to find out if their benefits are to be cut or withdrawn.
By 2018, 450,000 people will be ineligible for PIPs, while 780,000 will receive the same as or more than they previously did, according to the DWP.
Change in circumstances
The vast majority of disabled claimants will continue to claim DLA until 2015, after which point they will be sent information about reapplying for PIP.
Since June this year, all new claimants have been applying for PIP rather than DLA, and those whose circumstances have changed had been due to start moving to the new benefit on Monday.
The change to the reform timetable means only those in Wales, the East and West Midlands and East Anglia will transfer to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from Monday if their condition changes.
The government said the need for the alteration had only came to light at the beginning of October.The government said the need for the alteration had only came to light at the beginning of October.
A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said Labour's claim of chaos over the changes was "wrong".A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said Labour's claim of chaos over the changes was "wrong".
"We have deliberately chosen to introduce PIP it in a phased way, learning as we go, to make sure it is done safely and effectively. We believe disabled people will welcome this approach," the spokesman said. "As we previously announced we have deliberately chosen a phased introduction for natural reassessments allowing us to live test the claimant reassessment journey," the spokesman said.
The government has said reform of disability benefits is essential because of increasing costs. "Our latest analysis, which is now beginning to benefit from more meaningful data, is telling us that the end-to-end claiming process is taking longer than expected."
Ministers point out that the number of people claiming DLA has increased from about one million to 3.3 million since it was introduced in 1992 and that it costs the taxpayer £13bn a year. Vulnerable people
Ms Reeves, shadow work and pensions secretary, said PIP followed the government's Work Programme and Universal Credit schemes in being beset by difficulties.Ms Reeves, shadow work and pensions secretary, said PIP followed the government's Work Programme and Universal Credit schemes in being beset by difficulties.
She said: "The delivery problems we are seeing at the Department for Work and Pensions now risk descending into farce. But for thousands of disabled people who are already extremely anxious about the changes, this is no joke.She said: "The delivery problems we are seeing at the Department for Work and Pensions now risk descending into farce. But for thousands of disabled people who are already extremely anxious about the changes, this is no joke.
Vulnerable people
"Not only is David Cameron's government out of touch but it's increasingly incompetent.""Not only is David Cameron's government out of touch but it's increasingly incompetent."
Work and Pensions Select Committee chair Dame Anne Begg, meanwhile, said delay in itself was "not a bad thing".Work and Pensions Select Committee chair Dame Anne Begg, meanwhile, said delay in itself was "not a bad thing".
"I'd rather that we get it right because very often the people we're dealing with in the reform of the welfare system are people who are very vulnerable, who find it quite difficult to navigate their way through the system," the Labour MP for Aberdeen South told BBC Radio 4's Today programme."I'd rather that we get it right because very often the people we're dealing with in the reform of the welfare system are people who are very vulnerable, who find it quite difficult to navigate their way through the system," the Labour MP for Aberdeen South told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"But, at the same time, the constant delays are also causing anxiety."But, at the same time, the constant delays are also causing anxiety.
"People know that it's coming but they never know quite when they're going to be called in for a reassessment and exactly what the outcomes are going to be.""People know that it's coming but they never know quite when they're going to be called in for a reassessment and exactly what the outcomes are going to be."
Disability charity Scope said the move was just a "tweak" and that it still believed the whole reassessment process was "too blunt an instrument".Disability charity Scope said the move was just a "tweak" and that it still believed the whole reassessment process was "too blunt an instrument".
The adjustment to the timetable will not affect people in Northern Ireland.The adjustment to the timetable will not affect people in Northern Ireland.