A Monthly Publication

By Alexandra Kemp

Chief Executive, West Norfolk Women and Carers' Pensions Network

West Norfolk Women and Carers' Pensions Network,  in partnership with the national children's charity, CPAG, has just won a significant concession for parents with disabled children following a high-profile campaign and a petition which the West Norfolk group handed in to the DWP in Whitehall.

  The change they have helped to win will mean that Lone Parents on Income Support with a child on any rate of Disability Living Allowance won't suffer a penalty if the demands of bringing up their child mean they can't look for work like other parents. The announcement was made on 3^rd November   in the House of Lords by Pensions Minister Lord MacKenzie. [See Hansard House of  Lords 3 November, Opening Statement, Welfare Reform Bill www. publications @parliament.uk]

  On 22 October, the House of Lords heard about the real stories of parents in Norfolk, collected by West Norfolk Women and Carers' Pensions Network, which were read out in a speech during the Welfare Reform Bill.

  "We spoke to Norfolk Parents throughout the county who are bringing up disabled children on their own. Most Parents do want to work but they face practical barriers.  One Norfolk Parent always spends £30 in specialised childcare just so she can attend her work-focused interview at the jobcentre but the job centre staff have never told her she can claim these costs back.

  “We were really concerned that this could lead to an injustice if benefit officials who don't understand the full picture about a child's needs, and the cost and availability of childcare in rural areas, were able to slash a parent's benefits when they just can't carry out a back-to-work action plan, " said Alexandra Kemp, who runs West Norfolk Women and Carers' Pensions Network.

  "So we told government about the difficulties which rural Lone Parents have finding childcare. We talked to West Norfolk Disability Information Service (WINDIS) and to Norfolk Disabled Parents Alliance (NDPA) and handed in a petition to Yvette Cooper, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions".

Lone Parents Taken Out of the Compulsory Work-Related Group

What the Government announced was that Lone Parents on Income Support whose disabled children are on any rate of Disability Living Allowance won't lose benefit if they are not able to do work related-activity under the new welfare-to-work changes. This extends to children up to the age of 16.

 From October 2008, parents on Income Support whose youngest children are aged 12 have to look for work and this is set to change so parents will have to look for work when their youngest child is 7. But this is not so easy for the parents of disabled children, including parents with kids with hidden disabilities, like autism, Aspergers, ADHD. Parents can regularly be called into school by teachers during the day, have frequent visits with their children to consultants, stays in assessment centres or  experience regular sleepless nights, even when children are older.

  These children may often be on lower-rate Disability Living Allowance, so  Government's original plans just to exempt Lone Parents whose children are on higher rate and middle rate Disability Living Allowance did not go far enough.

  There are longer distances to travel in rural areas like Norfolk, it takes more time getting to places  and there can even be higher costs accessing services. All of which puts more pressure on parents. "Sadly, disabled families can often become single parents families because the other partner just cannot cope and leaves, " said Alexandra. " So the parent who takes the responsibility needs extra help and not sanctions. Not all families claim DLA when they are entitled to it. One Norfolk Parent told me it took her 6 months to fill in the form. It is a lengthy and difficult form to complete so some families are awarded the lower rate when they really qualify for a higher rate. "