When I first started taking an interest in health and social care, as a member of a local community health council, I was dismayed by the rules over DLA.

Two people, both needing assisted care for their mental health problem. One gets placed in a building and the other gets placed in a similar building next door. The only difference in these particular buildings is that one was run by the local NHS Trust and one by the local authority.

So.. one is a service user, the other a patient, to use the terms those services give their clients.

Oh, one other difference. patients couldn't get DLA, whereas service users could.

Whilst this is not relevant to the mobility component, it is an indicator that DLA was never perfect. Whilst agreeing with M'unlearned friend that assessment may well make the numbers go up, and this is not the political aim of the present government, I can't agree that any review is wrong just because you disagree with the colour of the government.

The mobility component is important for so many people and keeping people mobile keeps them generally fitter so less of a drain on NHS resources (using government arguments back at them...) so protecting an important element of the package is good for the recipient, it can also be good for the exchequer.

That said, I'll judge the government by its actions, not by my own political idealism.