The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to provide disability benefits to over one million children next year, according to new figures. Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children helps with the extra costs of caring for a child under 16 who has walking difficulties or requires significantly more care than a non-disabled child of the same age.
Eligibility requirements must be met, with weekly rates ranging from £30.30 to £194.60, depending on the level of help needed. This translates to a maximum annual payment of £10,119. Data shows that parents of 1.03 million children will receive DLA next year, up from approximately 900,000 children currently receiving the benefit.
Experts Raise Concerns
Joe Shalam from the Centre for Social Justice commented: "These forecasts should ring alarm bells. Our research has found GPs increasingly concerned that young people are being pushed into medical and welfare pathways rather than their needs being met early through family, school, and community support." He added: "The danger is that more children every day are being put on a conveyor belt towards long-term dependency. That is bad for the taxpayer but far worse for the children whose potential is being written off before adulthood."
Political Reaction
Conservative MP Helen Whately, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, stated: "The line has blurred between the ups and downs of daily life and mental illness, especially for a generation of young people." She warned: "The risk is, they will sign onto Personal Independence Payments (PIP) at 18 and absences from school will turn into missing out on work. That's a waste of talent and a huge cost to the taxpayer."
To qualify for DLA for children, the child must be under 16, need extra care or have walking difficulties, and live in England or Wales when the claim is made, unless eligible to claim from abroad.
