The health secretary, Andy Burnham, will today rule out a controversial plan to scrap disability benefit paid to 2.5 million younger people.

In a major speech on the future of social care, he will say he has decided not to use disability living allowance (DLA) to fund the new national care service.

"We are looking at how we can make this benefit more progressive, so that the money works harder for those in greatest need," Burnham will tell delegates at the national children and adult services conference in Harrogate.

"The important principle is that nobody who is receiving disability benefits will lose out from the reforms.

"As we live longer and as the NHS helps us live longer, we have to look at different ways the NHS can help older people."

More than 18,500 people, supported by a coalition of disability charities, had signed a petition on the Downing Street website calling for DLA and AA to be protected.

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a good way to save money is to take it off the people who claim it fraudulantly. i know someone who claims incapacity saying she has bad back and other ailments but she rides her bicycle everywhere and shows horses!!! reporting them does no good she went for her interview and said she was depressed because her parents split when she was 25 and her gran died when she was 34 and that was 10 yrs ago, or ppl that are seen gardening and stuff yet when they go to docs they put on a collar and use sticks.
corinne

Its drawing a fine line though isnt it?
What is the real solution crack down on claims and make it even harder for those genuine people?
Or maybe more regular reviews but even this would cause issues to those genuine claimants?

What is a real solution to it?

the passport scheme you mentioned before would go a long way, if you have a diagnosis or are under the hospital then you are going to be genuine its the ones that dont take any meds and rarely even see a doctor that should raise flags, everything is online nowadays even your doctors appointments and prescriptions (hate it when the pharmacist knows something that i dont about me lol) yes it would make it harder for ppl that are borderline but thats what the interviews are for.
i went to tribunal with my own claim and when we left they told me i was entitled to low rate mobility and that i should reapply as soon as i left the building but because the support worker who came with me told them i didnt want mobility taken into consideration i only wanted the care looking at (she got it wrong way round) i couldnt get it.
there must be a way to make claiming easier for genuine claimants but catches out the fakes.
corinne

Im really stuck as in what could make it easier to spot the fakers but at the same point not discourage the genuine claims.
Maybe they could band disabilities and each band gets an award for so long for reassesment for example

BAND ONE-DLA PAID FOR LIFE
BAND 2-PAID FOR 10 YEARS
BAND 3-PAID FOR 5 YEARS
BAND 4-PAID FOR 3 YEARS
BAND 5-PAID FOR ONE YEAR
BAND 6-6 MONTHLY REVIEWS.

Also make it so that if circumstances change its not a whole new application unless requesting a higher payment?