Cuts to disability allowance 'sad and depressing'

George Pegg is one of those affected by the changes to the minimum income guarantee

A campaigner has described a decision to cut a disability allowance in Norfolk as “sad and depressing”.

Norfolk County Council has agreed to reduce the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), which is the amount people with disabilities can have before they pay for their care.

The move, which will save more than £1m a year, has been done with a "really heavy heart" according to the Conservative-led authority.

George Pegg, 26, who is one of those who will be affected by the decision, said: “I think disabled people are going to be lonely and isolated.”

The council’s cabinet agreed on Monday to reduce the MIG from £199 a week to £183 for all recipients aged between 18 and pension age.

Members also considered reducing it to £160 a week for the 18-25 age group but decided not to approve that option.

Mr Pegg, who has autism, said the decision will affect lots of people with disabilities.

“I feel really sad about the decision that's been made,” he said. “People cannot go out with their friends or go and do shopping.

“I think it's very sad and depressing.”

Alison Thomas is the county council’s cabinet member for adult social care

The council announced its plans to review the level of the MIG at a meeting in January as it looked to find new savings this financial year.

It launched a 12-week public consultation into its proposals in February and its scrutiny committee reviewed the plan in July.

Mrs Thomas, the council’s cabinet member for adult social care, said: “It’s with a really heavy heart that we had to make the decision we did today.

“None of us came into local government expecting to make such challenging and difficult decisions that we know will impact people.

“But it’s our responsibility now to make sure that those people that are impacted get our full support.”

'Stark choice'

Campaigners have been opposing plans to reduce the Minimum Income Guarantee

The council previously tried to reduce the MIG in February 2019 and lowered the threshold at which disabled people had to start contributing to their own care.

But in December 2020, a High Court judge found Norfolk County Council had been discriminatory by making people contribute more for their own care.

The council then pledged to repay about £1m, backdated to July 2019, to those affected by the changes.

But pressures on its budget meant the council had to look again at the proposals to reduce the MIG once again earlier this year.

Judy Taylor, founder of the Disability Network Norfolk Group, said: “We knew this was going to happen. This was their plan from the start.

“They said it's a very stark choice for the council. It’s an even starker choice for disabled people. It’s just horrendous.”

The new rates will be introduced in November.