Learning Disability Coalition
Party politics make little difference to eligibility criteria, new figures from the Learning Disability Coalition reveal
4 April 2008
A campaigning group that fights for the rights of people with a learning disability has revealed new statistics that show that the reduction in the number of people eligible for social care is not being driven by councils governed by one particular political party.
The figures from the Learning Disability Coalition show that Conservative and Labour councils alike are reducing the number of people who have access to social care services, with many only providing services for those with the most severe needs.
79% of Conservative councils plan to only provide services for those with critical or substantial needs by the end of April 2008.
72% of Labour councils plan to only provide services for those with critical or substantial needs by the end of April 2008.
55% of Liberal Democrat councils plan to only provide services for those with critical or substantial needs by the end of April 2008.
The research comes days after the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) began their consultation process inviting people to "have their say" about the issues and problems associated with the current system for deciding who is eligible for council funding and support for social care services.
Dame Jo Williams, Chair of the Learning Disability Coalition and chief executive of learning disability charity, Mencap, said: “The statistics clearly show that this is not something that is being dictated by councils governed by one political party, but is an issue that affects the whole of the country. The fact that so many councils are only providing support for those with the most severe needs shows the urgent need for more money from central government.”