Disabled face 'funding black hole'

Leading charities say disabled adults are in danger of being forgotten in the social care debate after the Health Secretary's statement last week failed to allay their fears of a £1.2bn deficit in disability funding.

A report published by Scope, Mencap, the National Autistic Society, Sense and Leonard Cheshire Disability, found that up to 105,000 disabled people may not receive any basic support as a result of the Government's care proposals.

Jeremy Hunt told Parliament those with disabled needs when they turn 18 are guaranteed free social care for life, and adults who develop a care need "before state pension age will be protected by a cap below the £75,000 threshold".

Richard Hawkes, chief executive of Scope, said: "The Government's plans ignore the crisis in social care. There is a £1.2bn funding black hole and almost 40 per cent of disabled people tell us their local support doesn't meet basic needs."

Two all-party parliamentary groups looking into social care for working-age disabled people have asked for evidence to be submitted by 19 March.