That will be me.
The next question that we considered was:
“What changes, if any, do you think should be made to the individual benefits in the Bill?”
We started by looking at carers allowance. We think that there should be different arrangements in place to allow those who are claiming carers allowance to combine that better with employment. We also feel that the criteria for carers allowance should be looked at. For example, the fact that it is not available beyond pension age should be looked at, and there should be the option of claiming part of the allowance rather than the current all-or-nothing situation. For many people, the allowance is their only source of income.
We agreed on the importance of an allowance for young carers, although we did not think that it should necessarily be financial. We feel that carers allowance should be a passport to other assistance such as vouchers towards glasses and that kind of thing. More should be done to ensure that we look after the health of carers. We believe that, given the alternatives, carers allowance represents very good value for money for the state.
On DLA and PIP, as we have mentioned, if a lifetime award is in place, that should transfer without the need for reassessment. A transitional process should be in place for those who lose the benefit. Links with other agencies, such as Motability, need to remain, and there should be a greater allowance for mobility issues. There should be more recognition of the fact that many disabled people work and contribute or have done so previously. Also, claimants should not be penalised for pushing themselves to do as much as they can. For instance, making an effort on physical appearance should not be a negative factor when people are assessed.
We thought that it would be worth considering a different system for winter fuel payments whereby vouchers are issued or fuel bills are met directly to ensure that the money is spent on fuel. Those who do not want the vouchers could donate them to charity or to those who need them more.
We were asked:
“What are your thoughts on the proposal to increase the Carers Allowance?”
We are supportive of the increase, but we agreed that it is only a step in the right direction and does not go far enough. Carers allowance should be a living wage. Adding extra entitlements such as glasses vouchers, along with improved arrangements for respite, would help. We believe that it is about not just the money but support and assistance in other areas as well.
09:45
We were asked:
“What are your views on the proposal of short-term assistance?”
We think that it is a good idea but that it needs to be automatic and to click into place smoothly instead of being a complicated application process. As we mentioned previously, we believe that it may be better to allow people to continue to be on a benefit when they are appealing a decision than to make them switch to a new short-term assistance benefit.
Other ways in which the assistance could be used include during transitional periods such as the loss of PIP or a change in circumstances and when people are forced out of their homes or accommodation—for example, due to flooding. There should also be clarification in the bill about whether money has to be paid back should the appeal be lost.
We were asked:
“Do you agree that discretionary housing payments should continue largely as they are? Do you have any other views?”
We feel that the current system seems to operate as a postcode lottery and that the scheme should be statutory for all local authorities. There should be better information and awareness about the assistance that is available to people, and the application process should be easier.