Cuts or changes to your care package

This guide is for you if:

• your support package (sometimes called a personal or individual budget) has been cut or changed, or
• you have been refused support altogether, or
• your day centre, short breaks service or any other service that you use as part of your package is being closed down or changed, or
• the local authority want to start charging you (or charging you more) for your care.

If the local authority has cut your support package there may be something you can do about it. In many cases, the law will be on your side. You can complain. If that doesn't work you can ask the Ombudsman or the court to decide if they think it is fair. This guide:

• explains what your options are
• helps you step-by-step though the process
• explains how to get expert legal help 
• explains what else you can do to try to protect your support package and services

Click on the statement below that best matches your situation to get started:

• “They’ve reassessed my needs and the help they’re offering is not enough!”

• “My needs haven’t changed but they want to change my care package to make it cheaper!”

• “They have given me direct payments to arrange my own care but it’s not enough to pay for the help I need!”

• “The local authority has changed its rules about what help it will provide and now I’m not eligible!”

• “They are closing my day centre!” (or other service)

• “They are going to charge me more than I can afford!”

• Download a full PDF version of the guide here.
• Download a full Word version of the guide here.

Disclaimer

The law is complicated. It is always best to get advice. This guide aims to help you know how to find appropriate advice and to support you to take the first steps in standing up for your rights. It is not meant as a substitute for legal advice.

Thanks to Alice Maynard, Caroline Jewell, Douglas Joy, Jamie Robertson, Kate Whittaker, Katrin McEntee and Martyn Sibley for their help in producing this guide.

This guide was written by Mary Webber and Clare Shirtcliff. It was produced by the Advice Services Alliance Advicenow project for Scope, December 2011.

This information is available in different formats. Please contact Scope Response to request a copy.