DWP
NEARLY 300 children in Southampton were stripped of disability benefits after their 16th birthday, figures show.
Over a third of the young people who claimed Disability Living Allowance in childhood failed to qualify for the adult version of the benefit, Personal Independence Payment.
Disability charity Scope said the number of young people losing disability benefits at 16 was unacceptable and said the PIP assessment process was fundamentally flawed and in need of an overhaul.
Around 421 young claimants in the area - 52% - saw their benefit award rates increase or stay the same after moving to PIP but 297 had their awards withdrawn, according to data from the Department of Work and Pensions.