The Royal Association for Deaf people (“RAD”) promotes the welfare and interests of Deaf people (by which we mean deaf people whose first or preferred language is sign language), and it is aware that many d/Deaf people receive disability benefits.

There has been considerable concern about the “Shaping the Future of Care Together” Green Paper which has proposed that disability benefits such as Attendance Allowance should be stopped and the cash handed over to social services instead.

What are “disability benefits”?

Disability benefits include Attendance Allowance (“AA”) and Disability Living Allowance (“DLA”), both of which are non means-tested, tax-free benefits for adults (and children) who need help with personal care and mobility.

d/Deaf people can claim AA or DLA if they need support to communicate everyday, or if they have mobility problems as a result of hearing loss or physical limitations.

Claimants have to show that they need frequent attention from another person in connection with their bodily functions, such as hearing and speech, or attention for a significant portion of the day. They also have to show that they need supervision and guidance when walking around outdoors.

Why are AA and DLA important for the needs of d/Deaf people?

• They give d/Deaf people the freedom and independence to manage their personal care as only d/Deaf people know and recognise their own needs, not public authorities;
• There is a lack of awareness of the needs of d/Deaf people, based on communication and information barriers within society;
• There has been downsizing of services towards d/Deaf people without reasonable consultation;
  DLA does not fully reflect the needs of d/Deaf people.
• To reduce funds further would put strain on d/Deaf people and create further barriers; and
• In the field of employment, a higher percentage of d/Deaf people, compared with their hearing counterparts, are unemployed or underemployed and bear the consequences financially.

What is the Green Paper about?

A Government Green Paper – called “Shaping the Future of Care Together” – has revealed proposals to stop paying disability benefits, for example, AA, and hand the cash over to social services instead.

Under the plan, current claimants would have their disability benefits converted to a ‘personal budget’ administered by local authorities and used to pay for services – not to spend as they wish. It is suggested that this funding is used to increase the funding available for social care.

AA is similar to the care component of DLA, but for older people. DLA is not specifically named in the paper, but some people believe that the DLA care component is also under threat because the Government is talking about ‘disability benefits’.

What does RAD think?

RAD is concerned that if the changes proposed in the Green Paper are implemented, local authorities would be given the exclusive right to assess the needs of d/Deaf people without having regard to the varying needs of d/Deaf people and individual choice.

RAD believes that AA and DLA gives d/Deaf people the freedom and independence to manage their personal care.

RAD will respond to the proposed changes stating that d/Deaf people still encounter barriers in the mainstream. This is despite the existence of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 more than 10 years ago. Recent research findings by RAD show that the DDA has not done enough to eliminate the barriers faced by d/Deaf people.

AA and DLA allow d/Deaf people to make a contribution towards access to communication support so they can have access to goods and services, education and employment with maximum choice.

RAD welcomes the opportunity to review the social care system so that it accurately reflects the needs of disabled people. However, RAD believes that this should not to be at the expense of the d/Deaf people.

Will DLA be cut?

D/deaf people who receive benefits are concerned that the changes proposed by the Green Paper will result in the benefits they receive being reduced.

Creating the Green Paper is simply the first step on the road to the creation of new laws. The Government have to go through a consultation process, and the consultation for the Green Paper closes on 13 November 2009.

However, if politicians do not receive the opinions of disabled people and disabled organisations, they will not know what DLA or AA means to claimants of DLA or AA and how it helps them.

For now, however, the d/Deaf community is advised that:

If you are receiving AA or DLA, this Green Paper will not change your entitlement to these benefits for the foreseeable future.

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More information
About the Green Paper: http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/

The Green Paper itself can be accessed at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/
PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_102338

For legal advice about your entitlement to disability benefits, contact RAD Legal Services at http://www.radlegalservices.org.uk/.

To join the campaign against the proposals in the Green Paper:
http://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/disability-living-allowance-(dla)/dla-aa-cuts

To sign the Number 10 Petition:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/AttendanceA/