The current £26bn-a-year cost of PIP risks “carry[ing] on going up forevermore” unless the Government works “to address the problem”, disability minister Sir Stephen Timms told the BBC.
Figures from the Department for Work and Pensions, first reported by The Times, project that the number of children receiving disability living allowance (DLA) will rise to around 1.2 million by 2030.
Autism appears to be the biggest driver of the projected doubling of child disability benefit claims, with around one in every 29 children (3.41 per cent) in England now having an autism diagnosis.
Shorts
Overall, there has been a sharp rise in neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism, ADHD, learning disabilities and mental health issues.
