Teenagers with incurable conditions are increasingly losing their disability benefits after turning 16. Analysis shows that nearly one-third of young people receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) are rejected when moving to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Disability charity Scope highlights the system's complexity as a major obstacle. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the current benefits framework as "unsustainable and unfair." Many rejections target conditions that can be better managed in adulthood, leaving vulnerable youths like Holly Crouch feeling unsupported and distressed after losing crucial financial assistance despite ongoing health issues.
"My condition has not magically disappeared and I'm not faking this. Everything was taken so quickly and I felt angry, neglected and like I hadn't been believed. It was so hard to deal with."
"The complex, adversarial and difficult to navigate system contributed to the rejections. The conditions most likely to result in a refused claim were those that may be managed more successfully by an adult than a child."
#disability-benefits #teenagers #personal-independence-payment #disability-living-allowance #benefits-reform
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