Dealing with cuts and changes in care packages

Scope has published a guide about how to deal with cuts or changes to your care package. This guide is for you if:

• your support package (sometimes called a personal or individual budget) has been cut or changed, or
• you have been refused support altogether, or
• your day centre, short breaks service or any other service that you use as part of your package is being closed down or changed, or
• the local authority want to start charging you (or charging you more) for your care.

If the local authority has cut your support package there may be something you can do about it. In many cases, the law will be on your side. You can complain. If that doesn’t work you can ask the Ombudsman or the court to decide if they think it is fair. This guide:

• explains what your options are
• helps you step-by-step though the process
• explains how to get expert legal help and
• explains what else you can do to try to protect your support package and services

Click on the statement below that best matches your situation to get started:

• “They’ve reassessed my needs and the help they’re offering is not enough!”

• “My needs haven’t changed but they want to change my care package to make it cheaper!”

• “They have given me direct payments to arrange my own care but it’s not enough to pay for the help I need!”

• “The local authority has changed its rules about what help it will provide and now I’m not eligible!”

• “They are closing my day centre!” (or other service)

• “They are going to charge me more than I can afford!”

Scope offers free, impartial and expert information, advice and support to disabled people and their families:

Freephone: 0808 800 33 33
Email: response@scope.org.uk
Text: SCOPE, plus your email address and message to 80039

They are available 9am – 5pm weekdays.