The spiralling cost of payouts to Bradford people receiving a controversial disability benefit totalled £99 million last year, it was revealed yesterday.

In eight years, the number of people claiming Disability Living Allowance in the district has soared by 25 per cent from 22,050 claimants to 27,660.

The figures were released by the Government as it announced a major shake-up of what the Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller called “the current deeply flawed and complicated system”.

It is proposed the DLA benefit is replaced by the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which will involve a new way of assessing need, by gathering information from individuals and professionals who support them, and in most cases arranging a face-to-face meeting with an independent healthcare professional. A periodic review of all awards is also proposed.

MPs in the district agreed change was needed.

Bradford East Liberal Democrat MP David Ward said: “There is a huge growth in the allowances being claimed. You can’t perceive that as a massive increase in the number of people with disabilities.”

Bradford West Labour MP Marsha Singh said it was necessary to make sure only people entitled to the benefit would receive it.

Keighley Tory MP Kris Hopkins said: “I think the public want to have confidence that everyone claiming a benefit is entitled to it. At the same time we have got to do it with sensitivity.”

Disability groups in Bradford said the existing system was complicated but warned any replacement had to work properly to ensure those in need got help.

A spokesman for Bradford and District Disabled People’s Forum said: “Disability Living Allowance is an important benefit and those who receive it have gone through a rigorous assessment process to be eligible. We know the consultation about PIP is going on at the moment, but the so-called ‘simplification’ is more confusing.”

Lee Wood, development worker at Bradford People First, a group which supports people with learning disabilities, said many people did not understand the DLA system but cautioned against the need for regular reviews of people’s health in many cases.

People are being asked their views on a consultation document, available on the Department for Work and Pensions website to February 14.

For more on this story see Wednesday's T&A