Community care, provided by local council social services, provides support to people with disabilities and other special needs so they are able to lead as independent a life as possible. Community care is available to all sorts of people, for example people with disabilities, older people and people with other special needs.

However, there are times when the provision of this service does not run as smoothly as it should. Leigh Day lawyers have been instructed by many individuals who have found themselves in dispute with their local councils about both the level of community care offered, the quality of service offered or the failure to the provide the service at all. 

Previous cases

KM: K is a young woman with Retts Syndrome. As a result she has high level, complex needs and is dependent on others for all aspects of her daily life. She lives with her mother and two siblings.

Following an assessment of her needs by her local council and primary care trust (PCT), it was agreed that the two bodies should provide K with a care plan, which consisted of several hours care and assistance a day along with regular respite hours for her family.

Despite agreeing to this package, the PCT often failed to provide the hours to which they had agreed. Her mother, as litigation friend to K, issued proceedings challenging this ongoing failure. The court found in her favour, ordering the PCT to provide her with the plan agreed, which has remained in place since.

FS: Ms S has limited mobility. She has arthritis in her spine and neck and lives in constant pain. She uses a crutch to walk and even then can only manage about 20 yards before having to stop and recover. She has very poor grip and severely limited movement of her left arm.

Parking around her home was often difficult meaning that if she needed to unload shopping she had no option but to double park, which often caused problems and resulted in her receiving verbal abuse.

She applied to the council for a disabled parking bay to be put outside her home. Her application was refused. She instructed Leigh Day to challenge this refusal. Our lawyers challenge was successful and the council confirmed it would reconsider her application. Upon doing so, it agreed that Ms S should be provided with a disabled parking bay as soon as reasonably practicable.