National Autistic Society defends disabled benefits claimants

Commenting on today’s press reports concerning the manner in which disabled people claim for Disability Living Allowance, Mark Lever, the National Autistic Society’s chief executive, said: “Reports suggesting that disabled benefits claimants have somehow taken advantage of the system by ‘just filling out a form’ are grossly misleading, and do a grave disservice to some of the most vulnerable in society who desperately need support.

"The Department for Work and Pensions’ own research has shown that just 0.4% of recipients for DLA have been overpaid due to fraudulent claims, a figure below the margin for clerical error.

“The National Autistic Society has substantial concerns about the new face-to-face assessments, which can be hugely problematic for those with ‘hidden disabilities’ such as autism. It can be difficult to detect or understand autism for assessors who are not specialists in the condition.

"Plans to bring in the new benefit and re-assess all current claimants are estimated to cost £675m. It would significantly reduce costs to use evidence from healthcare specialists who know the individual applicant and understand how autism affects them.

“As autism is a lifelong disability and the condition will not change over time, being re-assessed regularly is a waste of resources and likely to cause considerable stress and anxiety to those applicants.

“We are also extremely concerned that the Government’s plan to save money through Disability Living Allowance (DLA) cuts could leave many legitimately disabled claimants without access to the benefits they desperately rely on. For people with autism, DLA is an absolute lifeline and is often the only benefit they receive.

"Research shows that 30% of disabled people already live below the poverty line, with a third of adults with autism currently living without a job and without benefits.

“We urge the Government to seriously consider the impact cuts and changes to the DLA assessment may have on people with autism and other lifelong disabilities who lives depend on this crucial benefit for everyday life.”