Disabled face 'funding black hole'

Paul Gallagher
Sunday 17 February 2013 01:00 GMT
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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.

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