Steep rises in care charges, taken from benefit payments, have left thousands of Disabled people drawing on social care without enough money to live on, even with the protection of the Minimum Income Guarantee.
The minimum income guarantee (MIG) is set by the Department of Health and Social Care and is reviewed on an annual basis. The MIG is meant to ensure that individuals maintain a decent level of income covering living expenses, at the same time as making a financial contribution to their social care costs. To assess how much should be paid towards any care, local authorities conduct a financial means test. This test looks at a person’s income, savings, and any other assets. This goes hand in hand with a care needs assessment, which identifies and plans the care and support required.
Thousands of Disabled people need social care support. From support with washing and eating to everyday activities including connecting with friends and family. The quality and scope of care and support makes a huge difference to quality of life. However, even with the Minimum Income Guarantee, many Disabled people on benefits, pay disproportionately high contributions to their care costs, leaving them with little to live on. This situation has been worsened by the cost of living crisis and some Disabled people have been forced to stop receiving essential care and support.
Whilst the increase in MIG is welcome, Disability groups are asking for a fundamental review of MIG, to ensure that the level leaves Disabled people with enough money to live on, after paying for care. Campaign groups are also asking that extra cost disability benefits should no longer be counted as income, when calculating care charges.
Dan White policy and campaigns officer at Disability Rights UK said, “ Even with the inflationary increase, MIG is no where near an acceptable level to enable a good quality of life for Disabled people drawing on care and support. For some years, the Government failed to uprate MIG an it is now completely out of step with where it should be. We also need a review of disability -related expenditure, as the cost of living crisis has made all aspects of life more expensive for Disabled people.
At bare minimum, Local Authorities should review the care charges being sought from Disabled people, and ensure that disability-related expenditure is being properly calculated. However, a more radical approach is needed to support the full inclusion of Disabled people, a scrapping of all care charges.”