Read Inclusion London’s response to the ‘Caring for our Future’ consultation
Inclusion London has responded to the government’s ‘Caring for our future’: Consultation on what and how people pay for their care and support.
Inclusion London found that the scope of the consultation was too narrow. We believe that the public should have been given the opportunity to express an opinion on what they consider is the most fair and sustainable system for funding care and support: Also the consultation questions should not have presumed that the general public are happy with funding reforms that only benefit the minority and should not have presumed that they are willing to pay for their care and support in a direct manner.
The majority of people are totally untouched by government’s care and support funding reforms, which only benefit a small minority of people who have substantial assets. Also the funding reforms are very complicated, so it will be difficult for people to grasp how much and when they will have to pay for their care and support.
The £3.8 billion joint NHS funding is only a stop gap in funding; it does not address the need for the care and support funding system to be fundamentally reformed, so that Disabled people’s right to Independent Living[1] and the increased demands of an ageing population are fully considered.
Inclusion London recommends a system similar to the NHS is put in place so that care and support is free at the point of delivery, paid for through National Insurance contributions, as we believe that this is a fair and sustainable system. Australia is currently rolling out their Disability Care service[2]; we recommend that the UK looks at adopting a similar scheme.
Inclusion London’s full response is available to download below.
[1]http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/conventionfull.shtml
Article 19 UNCRPD:
a) Persons with disabilities have the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular living arrangement;
b) Persons with disabilities have access to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services, including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community;
c) Community services and facilities for the general population are available on an equal basis to persons with disabilities and are responsive to their needs.
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=279
[2]http://www.disabilitycareaustralia.gov.au/welcome