National changes to Disabled Living Allowance will affect many vulnerable service users in Bristol, South Glos, North Somerset and B&NES. The DWP is proposing to replace the DLA with a Personal Independence Payment (PIP). There are several concerns about this proposal summarised in this paper from the Local Government Association which is their advisers' group's evidence to the Select Committee Inquiry into that proposal and gives a good background to the proposed changes.
There are some significant implications for service providers. Practitioners will want to familiarise themselves with some of the added pressures that parents of disabled children are likely to experience (eg lower band levels potentially may disappear; qualifying period now doubled to 6 months so DWP can be assured the condition is 'long term' before any benefit is received).