WinVisible (WV), a multi-racial women with disabilities group, recently asked Leigh Day solicitor Chris Benson to speak at a workshop that they organised for homecare users. The theme of the workshop was how to challenge charges being levied by local authorities for homecare services that they provide.
One disabled woman was facing a demand from Camden Social Services to pay charges for her homecare services out of her disability benefits. Ms X receives two hours paid care per day but was being pressurised by Camden to pay for the care although Camden had overcalculated her income and undercounted her expenses and wrote that the only way to pay less would be for her care hours to reduce. National limits for disabilities expenses used by Camden and other authorities discriminate against severely disabled people whose essential expenses are higher than average.
During the workshop Chris advised on whether or not the law had been broken in how people's care needs and finances were assessed and advised individuals who attended the meeting to complain to Camden. After the workshop Ms X made a complaint to the Director of Adult Social Care in Camden. She has now heard that the invoice that Camden had sent to her has been retracted and that the service she receives will remain free.
The financial assessment visits carried out by social services are often a humiliating and confusing experience for those being assessed. Authorities throughout the country are now re-assessing disabled people in their boroughs many of whom are worn down by the lengthy asessment process and who are pressurised into signing 'able and willing to pay' documents.
For more information on how to challenge unfair charges for social services please contact
Chris Benson on 020 7650 1200.
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