End of Disability Grant Means Test

15.11.05

The end of means testing for English parents of disabled children is being celebrated by Edward Davey, Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston and Surbiton, after a long campaign in Parliament. The means test applies to essential adaptations needed to a family home, where there’s a disabled child. Edward has dealt with sveral local families hit by this means test over the years, and has backed parliamentary campaigns in recent years to assist them and others like them.

Effective from December 2005, the announcement from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister means that no parent of a disabled child in England will be subject to a means test when they apply for the Disabled Facilities Grant to help them adapt their home for their child. Edward Davey said:

“This means test was the meanest ever. Families caring for their disabled children often faced large bills for everything from walking rails to downstairs toilets and showers, with no help at all.  This change is long overdue, but I’m delighted we’ve won at last.

“When disabled children can’t get upstairs, and are simply too heavy to lift, adaptations like downstairs showers and lavatories become essential. Yet many families on modest incomes have been pushed into huge debt for them.

“This is also good news for the taxpayer, because often the difficulties of keeping a child or young adult at home, would force councils to place such children in expensive special accommodation. Enabling families to stay together makes sense for everybody. 

“I only wish this decision had come sooner, and would have prevented much heartache for many families. Yet this is a real breakthrough for the future, and I pay tribute to the many people who’ve been involved in this campaign.”