How to Respond
You can download this consultation and find out more information about how to respond to it from the DWP website link below.
Disability Alliance will be responding to the consultation. You can feed into our response through our online questionnaire at surveymonkey.com/s/dlareform.
This will help us respond in full to the Government’s plans and ensure we cover all your views Thank you for completing our survey.
What next?
Responses from this consultation will inform secondary legislation on the detailed design of the benefit, including requirements for the new assessment.
You can keep in touch with Disability Alliance activity on DLA reform by completing our survey and giving us your email or other contact details
Hello everyone, I’ve had a read now of everything. Would it be fair to say that these are the key issues with regards to people diagnosed with cancer:
A diagnosis of secondary cancer should automatically mean that DLA is granted IF a Consultant writes a supporting letter (?). I hesitate to put automatically because some people will stay in employment and that would be the counter argument.
Cancer does not necessarily cause a static set of symptoms. It would be illogical to keep undergoing assessment.
It may not be mobility per say but things that affect life such as fatigue, ongoing hospital appointments and treatment, psychological issues, etc.
There should be an initial examination by the Oncologist or surgeon (which would happen anyway) and no further medical examinations relating to the DLA.
I think you have summed up the main issues very well
With regard to point one, you state that a counter argument would be some people stay in employment. This shouldn’t change the argument for it being automatic, as those of us who do try to stay working, know that at anytime we may have to give up at ver short notice, so having everything in place first would be beneficial at such a stressful time (and unfortunately most of us with secondaries don’t perceive this as an ‘if’ more of a ‘when’). Also so many of us have had to reduce our hours, I for one would have not been able to go part time, if it wasn’t for my eligibility for DLA.
With regard to point 3 mobility is usually the least of our problems! the etc could include the danger of exposure to everyday bugs/infections when going through many of the treatments.
Thanks for spending time summarising the main points.
Thanks Nicky. I didn’t know you get DLA whilst working - please excuse my ignorance.
Good point too about ability to fight infections etc during treatment. Also would be coping with side effects of treatment.