Autistic people and those with learning disabilities have won their battle against a proposed Bristol City Council policy that could have forced them into residential care.
The council has now withdrawn the proposed policy after it carried out a consultation up to 31 January.
Disability Rights UK’s Michael Erhardt claimed the policy would have punished disabled people
‘Forced’ out of their homes
One of the main concerns was that the policy could have resulted in people currently supported by the council to live in their homes being offered a place in residential care if this was cheaper than a home-based care package.
Many disabled people in Bristol could have found themselves having to choose between living at home with unmet care needs, or moving out of their home into residential care against their wishes. It could have sparked court proceedings.
High support needs
One of the campaigners against the policy was Mark Williams, of the disabled people’s group Bristol Reclaiming Independent Living.
Williams had told ITV West Country that because autistic people and those with severe learning disabilities have high support needs, they “risk having their support cut and being moved to care homes”.
Focus on being ‘cost-effective’
Bristol City Council had argued that its proposed Fair and Affordable Care Policy focused on meeting people’s needs in the most “cost-effective way”.
The council said it needed to make sure there was enough money for everyone who needed care.
Where packages designed to enable the person to remain at home “substantially exceed” the cost of residential care, it had said it may consider alternatives.
Policy would have ‘punished’ disabled
Michael Erhardt, of Disability Rights UK, claimed the policy would have punished disabled people and it was a “brazen” attempt to remove their independent living. But he also said councils were getting “less than they need” from government.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said the UK Government had made £8.1bn available this year and next for adult social care.
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Published: 8 March 2024
