This article first appeared in the January 2003 issue of Middlesbrough Mencap Newsletter
Local Authority charging is harming people with a Learning disability.
Care in the community was welcomed by everyone with a learning disability; closure of long stay hospitals/units was what the vast majority of people wanted.
It also led to a greatly reduced role for the NHS, with Social Services taking
up the greatest proportion of community services provision,
The majority of people with a learning disability, quite rightly live in the
community, most of them within the family home and many of these with ageing
parents, some if they are lucky live on their own or as part of small groups.
Whatever their choice, these people and their parents/carers are reliant on
disability benefits to meet the cost of their independance and self reliance.
Day Services, usually day centres, not only offer respite for parents/carers, but primarily an opportunity for people with a learning disability to develop new skills, and a wide range of community and leisure based activities, but more importantly an opportunity to meet and integrate with others, and helping each other.
Obviously there will always be great differences in this provision, with some
areas offering good provision, whilst others not doing to well, old habits die
hard !
Up to the mid 80's it was assumed that there would not be a charge for this
service, in fact some clients received an incentive allowance—then
faced with financial pressures (always a good phrase), local authorities
looked at charging for services. They soon realised that any charge would have
to be low, in fact the cost of collection of these charges often outweighed
the revenue raised!
Mencap advocated caution: vulnerable people could possibly withdraw from some
services.
Since the 90's more local authorities have introduced charges—many without
discussion or warning—partly from the need to fund community care.
The government assumes that local authorities will raise 9% of their non-residential
costs from these charges.
Social Services have gone down a road, which 10 years ago no one would have
thought possible … 90% of clients were exempt from charges for home care,
and little thought was given to make charges, but today high charges, with few
exemptions is the NORM !
More and more local authorities are charging for care services, Mencap views
these charges as wrong in principal and unreasonable in practice. We believe
that charging for non residential services amounts to an unjust tax on disabled
people. VAT … Vulnerablity Added Tax !!!
It it totally wrong to expect this group of people to pay for the basic things which most other people take for granted. The motivation for these charges seems to be those financial pressures and the assumption that local authorities WILL raise some of the costs of non residential services through charges to users.
More than half the local authorities in the country who operate a charging
policy, are charging people in receipt of Income Support [I.S.] alone. The most
suprising result is that many users whose only income is I.S. are expected to
pay for the very services which meet their assessed needs. As I.S. is the nationally
set MINIMUM an individual needs to live on, one has to wonder how a local authority
could deem them to have enough disposable income to meet ANY charge !!
Local authorities are, once again penalising the most vulnerable/poorest members
of society. Income Support is a breadline benefit which was set up to PREVENT
people falling into a poverty level.
In the country as a whole, there is no set way of charging. It's pretty much a free for all system. It is extremely confusing, and a great concern to families everywhere. Each authority is responsible for setting up it's own policy and setting levels of charge. These charges can, and do, vary enormously. An example of this—a service user on I.S. plus higher rate DLA could be charged £2·30 for a week day service provision in one area, but £22·00 in another! Many variations in charges are taking place, in the types of income that are being dis-regarded or included in assessments. Some authorities have a flat rate charge while others follow the system of the ability to pay via an assessment plan. It is rare for an authority to charge for the full cost of day services—but there is evidence of some authorities raising their charges by more than 100%
People feel strongly about the introduction of charges for non residential services, as they fail to recognise the additional financial costs of disability to the family. The vast majority of people with a learning disability depend on support in many aspects in order to live independantly in the community. The level of charge could have a significant impact on both the individual and his/her family when many are dependant on these benefits. Some people have spoken about withdrawing their son or daughter from these valued services, a possible consequence of that is that the same person may wish to come back at a later stage, sometimes with far greater needs than before.
CHARGING FOR SERVICES FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY COULD LEAD TO FURTHER DEMANDS FOR RESIDENTIAL CARE IN THE FUTURE !!!!
REMEMBER; It is the SERVICE USER who is responsible for any charges, NOT the family. Official legislation stated that taking into account ANY income of members of the family IS ILLEGAL.
CHARGING IS PROBABLY GOING TO HAPPEN. . . BUT DON'T JUST ACCEPT IT WITHOUT YOUR FEELINGS BEING HEARD
G. W. SMITH
MIDDLESBROUGH MENCAP CHAIRMAN.
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