Social care charging resources

Campaigning tools and resources to challenge social care charging

Introduction

Inclusion London’s long term aim is to transform social care and to create a national care service that is free at the point of use, which covers everyone and we all contribute to. In the meantime, however,  campaigners across the country are coming together to challenge the unfairness of social care charging. We are urging Matt Hancock to scrap social care charging and we are also campaigning to increase the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) level and improve Disability Related Expenditure policies so that Disabled people and families keep more money in their pocket for essential living costs

Take action and sign our #ScrapCareCharging petition

We are calling on the Government to abolish social care charging. Please sign and share our petition demanding Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, scraps social care charging.

Scrap social care charging film

A powerful film explaining why social care charges are unjust and unfair and undermine Disabled people’s choice and control and right to independent living.

Social care charging: know your rights webinar

This video will help you to understand your rights around social care charging, financial assessment and how to dispute them and the ins and outs of Disability Related Expenditure.

Let’s talk about… Charging for Care and Support

This is a recording of a webinar aimed at anyone who wants to know more about social care charging in non-residential setting i.e people living in their own homes or in supported living.

Scrap Care Charging Coalition

A webinar produced by the Scrap Care Charging Coalition – a group of campaigners and organisations from up and down the country talking about their experiences of challenging and campaigning against social care charges.

Disability Justice Project resources

The Disability Justice Project website has a section on care charging which sets out useful information about financial assessments, eligibility, care planning and direct payments.

Template letter to request a review of a financial assessment

Download our template letter to requesting a review of your financial assessment

Things your local authority should have told you about social care charging.

These key messages are a useful summary of the things people need to know about care charging and the responsibilities and duties of local authorities.

BBC Radio 4, The Cost of Care

File on 4 investigates the new challenges of providing home care during the Covid-19 pandemic – with some recipients seeing their care costs increased while their hours are reduced. Exploring reports of financial assessments being neglected, and allegations that people’s basic needs are not being met, we ask if some of society’s most vulnerable are being made to shoulder the cost of local council funding gaps.

You can watch the programme here BBC Radio 4 – File on 4, The Cost of Care

Hammersmith and Fulham is the only council in the country to provide free comprehensive home care

“It was therefore a good day in 2015 when my colleagues and I made Hammersmith & Fulham the only council in the country to abolish home care charges. At that time, we funded this new approach by cutting millions of pounds from the council’s PR budget. Since then, we’ve maintained a ruthless approach to financial efficiency: cutting layers of unnecessary management; re-negotiating contracts; stripping out a record £118m of wasteful council spending – all money now being used to improve front line services such as adult social care.”

You can read the full article here https://lbhfmailings.org.uk/BGN-7D989-0B66C4727E10EDB85MZE9Z7605B696AAE18C88/cr.aspx

BBC Radio 4, You and Yours

This episode examines social care charging and includes an  interview with Hammersmith and Fulham Council which is the only council in the country to provide free comprehensive home care. You can listen to the programme here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000wsxr

The Norfolk Judgement – Using the law to challenge social care charges 

The High Court found that Norfolk County Council’s proposed new charging policy discriminated against people with high support needs because they would be charged proportionately more than those with lower support needs.

Social care cuts and charging survey

Have you experienced social care cuts or an increase in care charges in the last 12 months? Social Care Future along with other partners, individuals and family carers are looking to raise awareness of the issues of increased charges, and need your help.

Please take a few minutes to fill in the survey here

Judicial Review Implementation and Monitoring Group Norfolk (JRIMG)

JRIMG is a disabled people’s led  group of activists working to make sure the Norfolk judgment has a broad an impact as possible.

Adult Social Care Warriors Facebook Group

A Facebook group  for Parents and Carers to share and support each other through the minefield of Adult Social Care

Warrior Carers West Sussex

Warrior Carers West Sussex is a group within West Sussex run by volunteer carers. We campaign and offer support for carers and the people they care for. We are on Facebook (20+) Warrior Carers West Sussex | Facebook this is a private FB group, but it is easy to join. We have also have a whatsapp group, please email warriorcarerswestsussex@gmail.com if you wish to be added.

National Independent Living Support Service (NILSS)

Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance (ROFA) has produced a document ‘Independent Living for the Future’ Our vision for a national independent living support system, including an easy read version which can be accessed and downloaded here ‘Independent Living for the Future’