Member News
MPs including the disabilities minister Maria Miller and her shadow, Margaret Curran, attended a lobby in Parliament this week and met people with autism who are worried about changes to disability living allowance (DLA).
Robyn Steward, an adult with Asperger syndrome from Tooting, said:"I am worried that the changes to DLA that the government has suggested will significantly reduce the quality of life for people with autism and their families.
"It was good to meet Mr Khan (Tooting MP Sadiq Khan), who seemed genuinely interested in what I have to say. I hope that he will work in partnership with local people in the area and back the NAS's suggestions about how to make PIP work better for people with autism."
The lobby was organised by the National Autistic Society.
"Around twenty MPs came and spoke to the adults with autism and their family members," an NAS spokesman said.
"We hope that events like this will help ensure that parliament is well informed about how policy can impact upon people with autism, and that we see positive results in the form of a new benefit that reflects the real needs of this group.
"DLA is a lifeline benefit for many people with autism and their families, and the government's plans to reform the benefit have created concern among many of these people.
"The lobby was a great opportunity for MPs to hear directly from people who will be affected by the changes, and to help them to understand their concerns."
The event was organised as part of the NAS' 'Who Benefits?' campaign, which aims to ensure that the reforms to DLA make it easier, not harder, for people with autism to claim the benefit.
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