Education transport fight left me 'angry'

Vicky Miller has been trying to get her brother's education transport

A woman has said the fight to get transport funding for her brother who has special educational needs had left her "angry and frustrated".

Ben Miller,19, has Smith-Magenis syndrome and has been entitled to transport to get him to a place of education in Leeds.

However, his move to assisted living accommodation in Wakefield led to confusion over which council should cover the cost.

Leeds City Council said it had revisited his application and confirmed Mr Milller would receive transport assistance. They are also reimbursing him for the cost of his travel to and from college since the start of term.

Mr Miller was born in Leeds and has chromosome 17 deletion which is also known as Smith–Magenis syndrome.

His sister Vicky said it meant he had behavioural issues, sleeping and eating issues, global development delay which impacts his speech and issues with his physical health.

She said he was "funny and witty and a cracking lad".

He had lived with his mother and attended a specialist school in Leeds, with the council paying for taxis for him.

Ben Miller has ‘Smith–Magenis syndrome' and his family said there had been confusion over which council should pay for his transport to college.

Mr Miller's mother was taken to hospital for a number of months last year and his sisters secured him a place in assisted living accommodation in Wakefield.

Leeds City Council continued covering the cost of taxi’s from Wakefield to Mr Miller school until July when he moved to college.

However, his transport was stopped when he went to college due to confusion over his main home address.

Ms Miller said it has had a huge impact on her brother's quality of life.

She said he needs a lot of care and they had been spending all his weekly Personal Independent Payments on taxis to college.

She said it meant he was unable to go out and "experience life".

"All his money is being used for taxis due to no transport.

"He wants to go out and go to the united shop and buy united shirts, go bowling, go to pub on Thursday for a quiz night and learn those vital life skills but that has had to stop so he can go to college."

Mr Miller said it had left them feeling "angry and frustrated".

"So many families are facing or going to face many difficulties when it comes to their young adult receiving much needed transport to access education".

A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said after the case was brought to their attention they checked their records and discovered the application for transport assistance gave a Wakefield home address but did not mention is was assisted accommodation.

“The application was therefore assessed on the basis that Ben was a Wakefield resident and, as a result, his request for assistance was turned down. Our decision was not queried or appealed by Ben and his family.

“As we have been informed that Ben’s family home is in fact in Leeds, we have revisited his application and are pleased to confirm that he will now receive transport assistance."

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