Care And Support Alliance Investigate Consequences Of Changing Eligibility Criteria For Council-Funded Care

The Care and Support Alliance (CSA) is releasing findings of an investigation commissioned by people with a disability into government plans for who will and who won’t get care under the new system.

As the influential Public Accounts Committee prepares to investigate the care system, the Care and Support Alliance (CSA) is releasing the findings of an investigation commissioned by people with a disability into government plans for who will and who won’t get care under the new system. CSA analysed the consequences of government’s plans to set eligibility for council-funded care at a higher ‘substantial level’.

They found that new plans will exclude people with so-called ‘moderate’ needs, who need help with several aspects of personal care, or of work, education or training. Research by LSE showed that this would mean 362,000 older and disabled people would be shut out of the system altogether. People who need help to move around their home, to communicate with family and friends or take part in their community will risk losing local care and support.

Alzheimer’s Society comment:

‘Changes to eligibility criteria for social care will mean thousands of people with dementia will be cut off from the support they deserve and need. The Care Bill proposed to look out for those most vulnerable in our society, and yet the new system ignores people with a very real need for day to day support, meaning they will be less active in their own homes and unable to be part of their communities.

‘Instead of waiting for people to reach crisis point, we should be providing social care that prevents isolation, and keeps people independent in their homes for as long as possible.’