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Social care - campaign update
Leonard Cheshire Disability’s new report,
Your Money or Your Life, highlights the shocking reality faced by disabled
people who lose their local authority funded social care support, because
of tightening eligibility criteria, and who can’t afford to pay for the
essential care they need.
Social care can provide the invaluable support that some
disabled people need to live independently. It can range from the direct
support that someone might need to get dressed or get about, to support in
socialising or employment, or even supporting someone by providing a break
for their family.
Because more and more people need social care, and because the
costs of providing social care are increasing, many local authorities are
tightening their ‘eligibility criteria’ which determine who can receive
funding for social care. This means that disabled people such as Jean
cannot afford to pay for the care they receive which enables them to live
independently and with dignity.
“Jean has multiple sclerosis. Without
assistance she is unable to walk and to perform many daily tasks, and she
also needs support in bringing up her eight year old daughter. She had a
publicly funded full time assistant for seven years and contributed £60 a
month to the cost. Due to tightening eligibility criteria she no longer
qualifies for her full time assistant, and her local authority told her
that to maintain this level of care her monthly contribution would need to
go up to £2,100. Jean cannot afford this and has temporarily taken on a
part-time assistant to try to make up for the loss. She now fears her eight
year old will become her carer and feels her husband is being punished for
marrying a disabled woman.”
The Government is currently looking at ways to reform the
social care system. Leonard Cheshire Disability is calling on the
Government to make sure that the social care system is fair and equal, so
that no one misses out on the care and support they need because they
cannot afford to pay.
How can you help?
Write to your MP asking him or her to sign
EDM 1242: Future Funding of Social Care and write to Ivan Lewis MP,
Minister for Care Services, raising the issue of what happens to disabled
people who can’t afford to pay for the care they need and calling on him to
make sure that, in future, the social care system is fair and equal.
Leonard Cheshire Disability is a company limited by guarantee,
registered in England no: 552847, and a registered charity no: 218186
(England & Wales) and no: SC005117 (Scotland). Registered office: 30
Millbank London SW1P 4QD.
