Shaping the Future of Care Together Green Paper threatens AA and DLA benefits

A Government Green Paper Shaping the Future of Care Together was presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Health on 14 July 2009. This Green Paper proposes a number of changes to the way care in the UK is funded and managed, including the possibility of scrapping disability benefits, such as Attendance Allowance (AA) and possibly also Disability Living Allowance (DLA), and giving the money to social services for distribution in personal budgets instead.

The consultation period for the Green Paper ends on 13 November 2009.

These changes could mean that many people with Fibromyalgia Syndrome were worse off, as how the money from personal budgets was used would have to be agreed with relevant officials, such as a social worker. The money would not be yours to spend as you see fit, as is currently the case with DLA. Many people use DLA to pay for basics such as food, rent or heating, or to use it for private treatments or nutritional supplements. All of these costs can be necessary but hard to meet financially if you are disabled with Fibro or another condition. However, they are not considered to be "care".

You can download the Green Paper and Supporting documents here. The relevant section of the full Green Paper is on page 102-103.

You can respond to the consultation online, by email or by post. Full details on how to do so are available here.

The organisation BenefitsandWork.co.uk is highlighting the potential issues from the Green paper.

You can view BenefitsandWork.co.uk's FAQ on the issue and sign up to their campaign here.

FibroAction will be consulting with MPs and considering our response. The situation is complicated by the fact that MPs are currently on summer recess, when they work in their constituencies, so it is not possible to organise, for example, an APPG meeting to discuss the issue. MPs return to Westminster in October.