Bristol City Council "not walking away" from disability care plans

Director of adult social care, Mette Jakobsen said they were "not walking away" from it's original plans but "leaning into it" in a "different way"

Council bosses say they are "not walking away" from unpopular changes to disability care.

Bristol City Council scrapped its Fair & Affordable Care Policy, after outcry from disability campaigners.

Now, a new working group will be set up to explore alternatives.

However, director of adult social care, Mette Jakobsen said they were "not walking away" from it's original plans but "leaning into it" in a "different way".

Supported living

Under the fair and affordable policy, which was not taken forward after a consultation, disabled people who receive care in their own homes would be placed into care homes or supported living, if their in-own home care costs was above a certain limit.

Speaking at a meeting of the people scrutiny commission, Ms Jakobsen said: "The Care Act makes it very clear that resources can be taken into account, in a way that meets eligible needs.

However, she said after the consultation, it was "clear that perhaps this wasn't going to be the most productive or fruitful vehicle" when discussing with the community about how they take resources into account.

In order to get care from the council, people must be either disabled or have a long-term illness, and not be able to do daily tasks like washing, dressing or looking after their home.

The council then assess what support is available, including personal assistants, mobility equipment and technology, with in-care sometimes more expensive than placements in care homes.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the mayor Marvin Rees said social care was swallowing up an increasingly larger chunk of the council's budget, leaving less to spend on other services like libraries, bins or fixing potholes.

'Can't run away'

He added that around 7,000 adults receive care from the council, costing Bristol taxpayers around £200m a year.

Instead of taking the controversial plans forward, Labour Councillor Helen Holland, cabinet member for adult social care, has now written to the chair of the Bristol Disability Equality Commission, asking to set up a working group and "restart the conversation" about potential alternatives.

The commission represents disabled people and identifies barriers facing them.

Ms Holland said: "We can't run away from this issue. Actually, the truth is that we have more people supported in their own homes than going into residential care than we've had before."