Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what impact assessment his Department carried out on the changes proposed in the Consultation on aids and appliances and the daily living component of personal independence payment, Cm 9171, published in December 2015.

DWP has conducted a consultation to seek views on how support can best be provided to help meet the costs of disability faced by people who are currently awarded points due to aids and appliances. The department has received responses from a range of interested parties, including disabled people and disability organisations. The consultation has now closed and the department is considering these responses.

No decision has yet been made as to whether any change should be made to the current system and the department does not have any preference between the five options presented in the consultation. We also invited additional suggestions for change.

If the department decides that change is required, a full equality analysis will be conducted and considered prior to a final decision being made, in line with the Department’s obligations under the Equality Act 2010.