Following the Coronavirus Act, which included provisions to suspend disabled people’s rights to care and support under the Care Act, the government has published its guidance for local authorities. The guidance describes the changes that local authorities can make to assessing and delivering care, where demand is too high or staffing resources too limited, and sets out the steps that directors of social care must take before announcing a departure from Care Act provisions.
Fazilet Hadi, Head of Policy at DR UK said: “DR UK urges local authorities not to suspend Care Act rights. There is a real danger that moving to new untested ways of assessing, delivering and prioritising care will lead to disabled people with high care needs falling through the cracks, being alone and unsupported.
“We would ask directors of social care to consult with organisations supporting disabled people throughout the crisis, to gain information and understanding of the lived experience of disabled people and to develop and monitor strategies that support and protect us. A serious omission from the guidance is not requiring directors of social care to consult with disabled people’s organisations in the lead up to making a decision to suspend Care Act rights, and we would urge local authorities to consult disabled people’s organisations as part of the process.”
Find out more about the Local Authority guidance for Care Act easements here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-changes-to-the-care-act-2014/care-act-easements-guidance-for-local-authorities
Download a template letter to enable you to write to directors of social care in your local authority here: https://bit.ly/3aAIlIs