Sign the Disability Living Allowance petition

Payment of Disability Living Allowance's mobility component is to be stopped for those in residential care from October 2012. This will have a huge impact on the independence of about 74,000 disabled people.

Disabled people in means-tested residential care often receive just £22 a week in the form of their Personal Expenses Allowance (PEA) to meet all of their personal costs. DLA mobility component provides absolutely vital support for people to remain independent and to meet some of the additional costs of getting out. The average payment per person is £33.40, although actual payments to each individual are either on the lower level of £18.95 per week or the higher level of £49.85

Removing DLA mobility component from people in residential care will have a devastating impact. People will not have the money to meet additional mobility costs such as a powered wheelchair, accessible taxis or a Motability car and this will seriously impact on their independence.

Whilst in some cases limited transport provision is included in residential care fees, this covers only communal or very limited independent transport. It does not provide the freedom offered by mobility DLA. This will result in people being trapped in Residential Care Homes.

This will have a disproportionate effect on people living in Scotland as more people both receive DLA and live in residential care. As many as 11,000 people could be affected in Scotland.

Please sign the online petition here and consider writing to the Prime Minister over this matter at camerond@parliament.uk.