Disability Living Allowance

Wayne David Excerpts

Wednesday 9th March 2011 Westminster Hall

[Mr Wayne David (Caerphilly) (Lab)]

I should like to refer to one case in particular: that of Mr and Mrs Owen and their deaf and blind son Jordan. They attended my surgery some months ago and explained the situation in which they find themselves now and what they fear might happen in the future. Their son Jordan is a big lad—17 years of age. He currently attends the Trinity Fields special school in Ystrad Mynach and is in receipt of disability living allowance and the mobility component as well. The family put that to good use and provide mobility for him and the family. In the near future, when he becomes an adult, he will leave the special school and go to a residential home. However, it is likely that that residential home will not be anywhere near where he lives in Tir-y-Berth, Hengoed. It is likely to be in Monmouth, or possibly in England. There is a real concern among the family that, because of the changes that may come about, he will no longer be in receipt of the mobility component of DLA.

Jordan is a member of an ordinary working-class family. He has tremendous support from his parents, and from the charity Sense, which has done excellent work with the family. Naturally, however, when he does go to a residential home, the family will want to visit him and take him out from the home and give him the best experience of life possible for that young man. The family is concerned that, if the mobility component is taken away, they will not be able to visit him as frequently as they would like or to take him out from the residential home. In fact, they might have to leave to one side the opportunity of going to a residential home, even though that would probably be best for him, but ensure that he stays at home, so that they can give him proper love, care and support. That would obviously not be the best for him, and probably not the best for the family as a whole.

I should like to make it clear that I am not against welfare reform. In fact, I am strongly in favour of welfare reform. What I find difficult to understand, however, is the rationale of making someone like Jordan so fearful for his future. There could well be a cut. Of course, I can understand the financial saving to the state, but that is not what welfare reform should be about. That is why I am particularly concerned about clause 83 of the Welfare Reform Bill. It is important when we talk about welfare reform that such things are made fair and streamlined, but particular care must be taken to ensure that people such as Jordan do not lose out. For example, I was concerned that, when the Prime Minister was asked about changes to the mobility component at Prime Minister’s Question Time, he said:

“our intention is very clear: there should be a similar approach for people who are in hospital and for people who are in residential care homes.”—[Official Report, 12 January 2011; Vol. 521, c. 282.]

I simply point out that the needs of people in hospital are not the same as those of people in care homes. That is a fundamental point. We need to move away from the mechanistic, bureaucratic approach and to recognise that people in residential care homes have particular needs, and the Prime Minister, to start with, should recognise that.

I hope that we have a respite. The Government have said that they will delay implementation for at least 12 months. I hope, however, that in the interim the Government will look at cases, such as that of Mr and Mrs Owen and their son Jordan, and recognise that welfare reform must be tailored to the needs of individuals, so that young men like Jordan do not lose out.