Social care

The social care system is in crisis. All over the UK disabled and older people are being denied the services and support they need to live equal, fulfilling lives. Social care services include support to wash and dress, prepare meals, and help with basic housework and shopping. Without it, many disabled people can’t even get out of bed, never mind hold down a job and play an active part in the life of their family and community.

Social care has always been an easy target for cuts but in recent years eligibility criteria have increasingly been used to ration services and cut costs. As a consequence, more and more disabled people are having to fund the support they need from their own pocket or simply go without. Funding your own social care can cost thousands of pounds a year and for many disabled people the result is poverty, isolation and ill-health.

• 75% of local councils only provide services to disabled people who are assessed as having critical and substantial care needs.
• Social care expenditure has risen by approximately 53% in the last ten years whilst both the education budget and health budgets have doubled.

What are we calling for?

Scope is calling on the Government to:

• Provide social care services free to all disabled people aged under 65 who need them.
• Ensure that all social care funding is portable so disabled people can move freely from one local authority to another.
• Ensure that disabled people who use social care services aren't prevented from saving.

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing problems accessing social care or moving their support package to another area and would like to share your story, please email policy@scope.org.uk

Save the ILF

The Independent Living Fund (ILF) affords dignity and independence to some 21,000 disabled people with high support needs living in the UK. The Government has decided to remove the ILF from 2015.

Write to Maria Miller