Government social care reforms ignore plight of working age Disabled people

The Government recently announced a fundamental change to how the social care cap will work.  The impact on many disabled people will be catastrophic. As Nadia explains: “Many of us are born disabled or acquire an impairment in early life and require long-term care support. Therefore, we will continue to face significantly higher lifetime costs, making it so much harder to live a good life with meaningful relationships and doing things that are important to us.”

It is doubtful that Nadia and the tens of thousands of other disabled people in a similar position will have a chance to accumulate assets during their working lives. No family should be forced to sell their home to pay for social care. And no one should have to worry about care costs, whether young or old. This doesn’t happen when we fall ill and use the NHS.

It is unfair, harsh and immoral to ask someone who has long-term adult social care needs to give up their modest income from benefits to pay for social care.  Inclusion London,  therefore, is supporting Baroness Bull’s amendment to the Health and Care Bill calling for a zero cap. This is in line with the Dilnot commission’s recommendation which proposed a zero cap for people who turn 18 with eligible care needs.

You can read our full briefing here Health and Care Bill amendments briefing