Latest news
Please check this page for our latest news and recent work.
26th July - Community Care reports on councils making changes to their eligibility criteria
Due to budgetary pressures councils are considering increasing their eligibility criteria to critical only. Currently 72% of councils have set their eligibility threshold at substantial. However, this is set to increase especially in 2011 as spending cuts take effect.
Read more here.
14 July - Mencap's DLA online survey
In response to the Government's plans to introduce a medicial assessment for the Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Mencap are asking people who receive DLA to complete an online survey so they can find out more about how people spend the care component of DLA. Please click here to complete the survey.
13 July - Our response to the Law Commission's consultation on adult social care
The Learning Disability Coaltion has responded to the Law Commission's consultation on adult social care. Please go to the 'Policy & statistics' section of our website to read our response.
30 June - The Guardian reports on the contribution of older carers
More than 150,000 adults with a learning disability live with parents aged over 70. David Brindle reports on the contribution which older carers make and asks how the state will cope once they're gone.
Read more here
22 June - The emergency budget: changes to the Disability Living Allowance
Applicants to the Disability Living Allowance will face medical assessments from 2013-14, according to Chancellor George Osborne.
For the 2.9 million people who claim Disability Living Allowance, these changes are very alarming and may reduce the number of people who are eligible to claim it.
Read more about the changes made by the budget here
18 June - Independent Living Fund is no longer accepting new applicants
The Independent Living Fund will not be accepting new applicants for the rest of the year, in order to prevent a further funding crisis.
Read more here
Read the Learning Disability Coalition's response here
17 June - New BBC research into possible council cuts
Research by the BBC into possible areas of council cuts suggests that transport and adult social care are likely to be the biggest victims of spending cuts. A number of councils indicated that they would not be able to maintain their current level of service provision.
Read more here
14th June - Government grants to adult social care will not be cut in 2010-11
The Minister for Care Services, Paul Burstow has confirmed that Government grants to adult social care will not be cut this year. In 2010-11, the Government will fund over £1.4 billion of grants to local government for adult social care. However, as ring-fencing has been removed from many grants to local government, there is a risk that cuts will still happen at a local level.
Read more here
11th June - Ask your MP to protect the frontline
The new Government has promised although budget cuts are coming, it will protect key frontline services. We are campaigning to make sure that social care services are recognised as frontline services and do not experience any more cuts. The emergency budget will be announced on 22nd June, so we have until then to get our message to politicians. Please contact your MP to let them know how important frontline social care services are.
Click here to email your MP
10th June - Supporting People budget facing cuts of up to 20%
Councils are warning that Supporting People housing projects may face cuts of up to 20% this year as part of the reduction in funding to local Government. Supporting People had been allocated £1.64 billion for this year is in danger of being cut because it is no longer ring-fenced. This means that it could be cut by up to £300 million.
Read more here
8th June - George Osborne warns of further cuts
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, has warned that there will be cuts in departmental spending of 15-20% over the next four years. He has also announced that Cabinet ministers will be expected to account for every pound which their department spends.
Read more here
25th May 2010 – Queen’s Speech
The Queen set out the changes that the new Government will make in the year to come. It was said that ‘a commission will be appointed to consider a sustainable long-term structure for the operation of social care’. This means that reform of the social care system is likely. The Government has promised that frontline services will not be cut and we will hold them to that.
Read it here
24th May 2010 - Treasury announces cuts of £6.2 billion
This will include reducing the money given to Local Government by £1.165 billion and taking away the ring fence protection from £1.7 billion worth of Local Government grants.
Read more here
20th May 2010 - Stories from the frontline
The Learning Disability Coalition wants to hear about your stories and experiences of frontline learning disability services.
Contact us here to tell us your story.
17th May 2010 - Learning Disability Coalition is featured in the Guardian
The Learning Disability Coalition, as part of the Care and Support Alliance, has had a letter published in the Guardian which calls for clarification on the issue of social care and funding.
Read it here
5th May 2010 - Government announces £6billion worth of cuts between 2010-11
The new Government has announced that it will make £6billion worth of cuts over the next financial year. We will hold them to their promises that these cuts will not affect frontline services.
Read more about the new Government's proposals here
28th April 2010 - Learning Disability Coalition submits Care Quality Commission response
The Coalition has submitted its response to the Care Quality Commission Assessments of Quality.
Read it here
15th April 2010 - Coalition highlights need for social care discussion in election debates
The Coalition, as part of the Care and Support Alliance, appeared in The Guardian’s letter page on Tuesday emphasising the urgent need to reform our care and support system. The statement warns that the party leaders cannot ignore this important issue in the forthcoming TV debates.
It has also been sent to all party leavers and health spokespeople.
You can read the statement here
(See statement signed ‘Carers UK… and 25 others’)
1st April 2010 - White Paper launched
The White Paper, Building the National Care Service, was launched this week. The Coalition has signed a joint statement as its response to the White Paper.
You can read the statement here
News Archive:
2010
2009
July 2009 - December 2009
2008
October 2008 - December 2008
2007
November 2007 - January 2008