We are concerned about the current and projected impacts on disabled people of the changes to employment and support allowance; the ongoing issues with the work capability assessment; the reduction in local authority social care expenditure; the replacement of disability living allowance by personal independence payment; the closure of the independent living fund and the cap on housing benefit ( Report , 10 May).
A significant reduction in the number of older people getting care for free, or partly funded by the council means a vast difference in costs. Which councils charge the most and which have the lowest rate?
Inconsistent levels of care are putting patients in danger, and are being exacerbated by budget cuts, survey reveals When the abuse of adults at Winterbourne View hospital near Bristol hit the headlines earlier this year it catapulted the mistreatment of people with learning difficulties in residential settings into the headlines, and prompted calls for immediate reforms to protect vulnerable people. However, if advocates for change had hoped that the revelation would be the final alarm raised about poor care for people with learning disabilities, then a new report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is likely to shatter those hopes
Three in four nurses have seen cuts to services in their area in the past year, survey reveals Nurses who work with people with learning disabilities have “real concerns” about the safety of their clients because of cuts in services, according to a study published on Wednesday. A survey of 500 nurses revealed that three out of four saw spending cuts to services in their area in the past year.
Older and disabled people suffer postcode lottery over fees as numbers who have home care paid by local council fall 11% The number of vulnerable older and disabled people who had home care services fully paid by their local authority fell by 11% in England in the past two years, according to newly published figures. The data also reveals wide variations in council charges across England
Older and disabled people suffer postcode lottery over fees as numbers who have home care paid by local council fall 11% The number of vulnerable older and disabled people who had home care services fully paid by their local authority fell by 11% in England in the past two years, according to newly published figures. The data also reveals wide variations in council charges across England. Freedom of information requests to 120 councils revealed that home care services – which send carers to help vulnerable older and disabled people get up in the morning, and get washed, dressed and fed – are becoming more expensive and inaccessible to many of the population
Without radical change, the cost of social care could soak up every penny of Barnet council’s budget within 20 years Let me to introduce you to the Barnet Graph of Doom . It’s a PowerPoint slide showing that within 20 years, unless things change dramatically, the north London council will be unable to provide any services except adult social care and children’s services
Reform of SEN gives parents freedom to choose and forces joined-up planning by education, health and social care services Parents in England are to be given control over their children’s special educational needs (SEN) budgets, allowing them to choose expert support rather than local authorities being the sole provider. In what the government described as the biggest reform of SEN for 30 years, the measures will also legally force education, health and social care services to plan services together. Sarah Teather, the minister for children and families, said this would prevent parents being forced to go from “pillar to post” in a battle between different authorities and agencies
From business to the disabled, Monday was special even for a cabinet whose dogmatic bungling is unrivalled in modern Britain Greece, the birthplace of democracy, has set off a voters’ rebellion against the dictatorship of financiers. In the eye of the vortex, no one knows if the centre can hold or what happens next when voters say no to austerity imposed by the same financiers who caused the crash.
Disabled people like me depend on the health service. These relentless cuts threaten quality of care for anyone needing help Two years ago this week two important things happened that have had a big impact on my life. The first was finding out about a government scheme called Access to Work which provides support to disabled people at work
