National eligibility criteria threshold for care discussion – Inclusion London responds

According to Norman Lamb, Minister for Care, the new system will support Disabled people to live independently and put personalisation at the ‘heart’ at the process’.  Inclusion London believes these words will remain an empty aspiration if the national eligibility threshold is set at ‘substantial’ because research indicates that over 100,000 disabled working age adults will miss out on essential care with the eligibility threshold set at substantial.

Also, the funding reforms announced so far only benefit the minority of those receiving care and support. A fair and sustainable funding mechanism is needed to ensure that the care and support system provides care to all that need it: Inclusion London believes that care and support for independent living should be free at the point of need, paid from National Insurance contributions/general taxation, with a similar funding mechanism as the NHS as we believe this is fair and sustainable.

The national eligibility criteria will end the post code lottery of care and support provision – this is welcome, particularly if disabled people are able to move to another area without the fear of their care and support package being reduced, but we have grave concerns firstly, about the accuracy of care and support assessments and secondly, that the national eligibility criteria has been set at ‘substantial’ as mentioned above.

Download the response:

Inclusion London’s response National Eligibility criteria discussion