The Coalition on Charging is a group of 23 national disabled people's, carers' and older people's organisations working together on the issue of charges to use care services.

Disabled people face rocketing fees for essential support

8 April 2011

As local authorities face significant losses in central Government funding, research for the Coalition on Charging [1] reveals councils are significantly increasing charges for disabled people accessing essential support.

The study [2], based on 15 England councils, demonstrates that:

• Disabled people using Derby City Council services face a 78% increase in hourly fees (£8.00 to £14.22 per hour);
• Some disabled people in Lincolnshire witnessing a potential 98% rise in weekly payments (from £126 a week to £250);
• Half councils lifting maximum weekly payments – including Westminster’s former £380 per week cap which will see some disabled people paying over £20,000 a year; and
• Councils potentially breaching obligations by failing to assess Disability Related Expenditure.

Neil Coyle, Chair of the Coalition on Charging, says:

“Councils seeking to generate income following Government cuts are ignoring the potential longer-term costs of limiting support to disabled people. Rising charges disincentivise service use and may result in a rise in more expensive service use, like residential care”.

Postcode lotteries and UK variations
The research shows that for disabled people with similar needs and income/outgoings will pay considerably different sums across the country. A disabled person in Derby City might pay £6,500 per year (as the maximum weekly charge is £125 per week) but in Westminster the cost could be over £20,000 a year.

The research also comes just as the Wales Assembly Government announces a maximum weekly homecare charge of £50 per week for service users to be implemented from 11 April 2011 – with a top up fund available to support councils helping disabled people with high needs.

A similar system, the Independent Living Fund, to help councils support disabled people with the highest needs across the entire UK has been closed to new applicants by the Government [3].

Council obligations being overlooked
Some councils appear to be overlooking legal obligations to:

• ‘meaningfully engage’ service users in changing charging policy, with disabled people reporting high increases without adequate warning;
• fully assess Disability Related Expenditure, instead using ‘permitted’ amounts as low as £5 without knowing essential outgoings – eg for equipment, higher utility bills or transport costs; and
• help identify alternative sources of help for disabled people, including benefit entitlements to help pay for care. With £2.17 billion cuts to Disability Living Allowance some councils may also face not being able to recoup charges from disabled people losing benefits.

Neil Coyle says:

“The impact of hiking charges can be increased poverty and hardship for disabled people and their families. Councils must ensure they meet their community care and other legal obligations in charging disabled people and their families for support.”

Free legal advice for disabled people
The Coalition on Charging is pleased to announce that Unity Law will be able to provide free legal advice to disabled people and their families. This will include help to tackle councils failing to meet community care or Equality Act obligations [4].

Notes

[1] The Coalition on Charging is a consortium of national organisations campaigning against unfair homecare service charges. For further information visit: www.disabilityalliance.org/coalitiononcharging.htm

[2] Disability Alliance undertook a snapshot study for the Coalition on Charging in March/April 2011 focused on 10% of England councils. The full report is online at: www.disabilityalliance.org/cochomecare.htm

[3] The ILF was closed to new applicants in June 2010. See: www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/06/18/114738/ILF-closes-door-on-new-applicants-for-care-payments.htm for further information.

[4] The support from Unity Law results from a new partnership with Disability Alliance. See: www.unity-law.co.uk for further information on Unity Law.

http://www.disabilityalliance.org/cocpress2.htm