Government has ignored public opinion and the experts, according to disability campaigners

Eligibility criteria for social care services has become a key issue of discontent amongst disability charities, many of whom are urging more political pressure on the issue before it is too late to influence reform.

Complete health and social care integration is the focus of £3bn of Government funding, as announced by Chancellor George Osborne in last week’s Spending Review, a vision that has achieved sporadic results over the last few years despite being one of the chief recommendations of leading health-based thinkers.

There is widespread support for this vision, despite criticism that it cannot be realised sooner, however the Government continues to alienate those concerned with the well-being of disabled adults who are based in their own homes, rather than residential care.

Chief executive of disability charity , Richard Hawkes, believes ministers are guilty of overlooking some of society’s most vulnerable, estimating that some 100,000 adults might end up shut out of the system because of higher eligibility thresholds that mean only adults with 'substantial', rather than 'moderate' needs can source help.

Mr Hawkes continues: “The Government took the bold step of investing more than £3bn in social care. It’s now confirmed who it wants in and out of the system.

“The Government has ignored disabled and older people, it’s ignored public opinion and it’s ignored the experts who are calling for a more preventative system to take pressure off A&E.

“They need support to live independent lives. Without it, they are left isolated and in crisis.

“With councils facing a further 10 per cent cut, the hope that other services will pick up the preventative work is unrealistic.”

Scope has also been critical of the Government’s decision to abolish the Disability Living Allowance, replacing it with Personal Independence Payments (PIP) which the charity accuses of being a cost-cutting measure due to tighter assessments.

According to the charity, significant economic benefits of effective social care funding, in reducing the need for vulnerable adults to rely on more costly treatments and public services, are being overlooked, with tightened assessment criteria in order to save on funds proving a false economy.

Mr Hawkes does not see the situation as hopeless, however, believing that ministers are open to persuasion if an effective case for versatile social care services can be made.

Urging concerned parties to get involved, he says: “This is still a draft – the plans will now be consulted on and then debated in Parliament. We need to carry on showing that Britain cares about social care.

“There are positives to build on. The Government has scrapped the current set of thresholds altogether ending the postcode lottery and the new focus on an individual’s well-being is welcome.

“But its commitment to a higher level of eligibility means it is in danger of passing up the chance to build a truly preventative care system that provides support, at the right time, to the right people, and helps take the pressure of A&E.”

Mark Lever, chief executive of the National Autistic Society, concurs: “The financial case is crystal clear: the Government must act now to address the inherent flaws in the social care system and ensure people with autism and other disabilities receive the support they desperately need.

“Currently many people with autism miss out on this support as their difficulties aren’t recognised; in most cases eligibility criteria are set too high and assessors lack the training in the disability they need to understand its daily impact.

“As a result many people with autism can eventually plunge into crisis, meaning they require very expensive and intensive support. This could be easily averted if simple and relatively low-cost options are put in place in the first instance, such as befriending services or social skills training. This would not only benefit the public purse but also have a tremendous human impact, transforming the lives of thousands of people for the better.”

Charity United Response are also among those issuing a challenge to ministers. Head of press and public affairs Jaime Gill writes:

“We would argue that the Government does not know what the combined impact of all of its reforms and changes will be on disabled people. That’s why United Response is joining other charities and disability campaigners to call on the Government to carry out a cumulative impact assessment of how all of the reforms will affect disabled people.”

The Carers Trust chief executive Thea Stein is also concerned with the effects of austerity, commenting: “Carers Trust is pleased that the Chancellor has recognised the importance of investing in social care. We know that supporting unpaid family carers is a way of keeping older people out of hospital and supporting people with disabilities. Integration is vital for carers and their families and smarter spending across health and social care is welcomed.

“However, we are concerned about the prospect of an annual cap on welfare spending for the next four years. Carers and their families are already struggling to make ends meet; a further squeeze on their income could have a serious impact on their lives.”

Bernard Walker, chair of The College of Social Work Adults Faculty, says: “As well as causing unnecessary suffering to many frail and lonely older people, this situation is causing their care needs to escalate more quickly, increasing the burden on higher cost care services provided by the NHS.”

Michelle Mitchell, charity director general of , supports the care reforms but sees a great deal of contradiction in recent announcements, saying: “We have always said national eligibility criteria are welcome for reasons of consistency, but only if they are set at a fair level. We believe the equivalent of ‘substantial’ sets the bar too high: ‘moderate’ would be much more in tune with the spirit of the Government's new care legislation, and with what the public has been led to expect.

“Although this may sound like a technicality the final decision about these criteria is crucial: as it stands millions of older people and their families who have assumed they will benefit from the Government's social care reforms will miss out. But there is still time for the Government to change their minds and Age UK will be campaigning to persuade them to do so.”