Autism sufferer meets MP to discuss impact of cuts to his life

Adrian Lawrence, an adult with autism, from Rochdale, attended the National Autistic Society’s (NAS) Parliamentary Lobby about changes to the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) recently.

At the event Adrian had the chance to speak to Rochdale’s MP, Simon Danczuk, about how these reforms might affect his everyday life.

The Government is replacing DLA with a new benefit called the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

To receive the new benefit, applicants may have to undergo a face-to-face assessment.

The National Autistic Society is campaigning to ensure that the subtleties of autism will be picked up in these assessments so that people with autism do not lose out on this vital benefit.

Mr Lawrence said: “Going to the lobby was an adventure for me.

“Since a minor operation in May 2010 I have rarely left home, but I was determined to go to the lobby as the issue of introducing a face-to-face assessment for DLA is important to me, having been previously assessed for Incapacity Benefit under the Personal Capability Assessment system.

“I recognise steps are needed to combat benefit fraud, therefore I am not against a reform of the system provided it recognises ‘hidden’ disabilities like autism so that I and others like me do not lose out.

“I hope I managed to put across how important DLA is to my life and how broken the current face-to-face assessments are for other benefits and I trust that my MP will back the NAS’s suggestions on how to make the system work better for people with ‘hidden’ disabilities like autism.”

The lobby was a chance to appeal to MPs to bring these issues to Parliament, as part of the NAS’s Who Benefits? campaign, which puts forward the following four points: 

• People shouldn’t have to go through a face-to-face assessment if they already have sufficient evidence about their autism from previous assessments
• People with autism experience a variety of difficulties with daily life. The Government must make sure that these are reflected in the new assessment
• Assessors must be trained so that they understand autism and how to talk to someone with autism, and can make a fair assessment of that person's needs 

Simon Danczuk MP said: “I learnt a lot from speaking to Adrian about how someone with autism might spend their DLA and how vital it is to their life.

“I will do what I can to ensure that the Government’s reforms to DLA work as well as possible for people with autism and their families.”

Mark Lever, Chief Executive, NAS, said, “Autism is a complex and hidden condition making it much harder to assess the impact of the disability on daily living and we have concerns this could lead to the some of the most vulnerable losing out.

“The Government need to ensure that people with autism and their families are consulted with and fully involved in the new assessment process from start to finish.

“This is why we felt it was so important to set up this lobby between adults with autism and their MPs.

“We hope as a result that the MPs will understand how these changes could impact on people with autism and their families, and work with us to ensure that the reforms do not disadvantage this group at this crucial time”.