In the October 2010 Spending Review, the government announced that it intended to remove the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people who lived in residential care in October 2012. The timescale for this change has now been put back to April 2013.Aspire research shows that nearly 20% of people with spinal cord injury are discharged from hospital to an institutionalised setting, such as a nursing home. Therefore many with spinal cord injury may be affected by this proposed change.
At the time, it was claimed by the Minister for Disabled People that the mobility component of DLA for people who live in residential care was a need that was already met by public funds elsewhere. However, after insistence from individuals and disability charities, such as Aspire, that this was not the case, the government has decided to look at this issue in greater detail.
The Low Review is an independent review that has been commissioned to look into how the mobility needs of people living in residential care are met and funded.
Aspire is encouraging people who live in residential care to spare a few moments of their time to complete this survey as part of the Low Review to make sure that the needs of people with spinal cord injury are well represented in this call for evidence.
The deadline to submit your responses is 10thOctober 2011.