On October 7th 2015 I launched a consultation on the abolition of non-residential social care charges at the Scottish Parliament.
You can read the consultation document here.
The consultation closed on Friday 29th January 2016.
The consultation summary document was published on Wednesday 23rd March. You can read the consultation summary here: Consultation Summary
A full list of the responses to the consultation can be found below:
Responses from Organisations:
Shetland Health and Social Care Partnership
Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance
Badenoch & Strathspey Community Transport company
Children’s Hospice Association
Self Directed Support Scotland
The Coalition of Carers in Scotland _ National Carer Organisations
Learning Disability Alliance Scotland
Alliance Health and Social Care (the ALLIANCE )
Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland and Housing Support Enabling Unit
East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership
Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living
Independent Living in Scotland
Renfrewshire Council Social Work Health and Well-being Policy Board
Scottish Disability Equality Forum
Stirling & Clackmannanshire Councils Shared Social Services
The City of Edinburgh Council Health and Social Care Housing Committee
Western Isles Carers, Users & Supporters Network (WICUSN)
Responses from Individuals:
Anonymous Responses:
Anonymous 2 Anonymous 3 Anonymous 10 Anonymous 18 Anonymous 23 Anonymous 26 Anonymous 27 Anonymous 28 Anonymous 29 Anonymous 31 Anonymous 32 Anonymous 45 Anonymous 46 Anonymous 49 Anonymous 50 Anonymous 52 Anonymous 53 Anonymous 58 Anonymous 60 Anonymous 61 Anonymous 63 Anonymous 72 Anonymous 73 Anonymous 94 Anonymous 96 Anonymous 99
Background Information
Currently, many disabled people are being driven into poverty due to the increasing amounts of money that they have to pay as a contribution towards their social care.
I believe that non-residential social care is an equality and human rights issue and, therefore, should be free at the point of delivery. I also believe that the current system is unfair, because charging procedures for these care services differ considerably between local authorities.
Previously, a petition was lodged at the Scottish Parliament by the ‘Scotland Against the Care Tax’ group which was signed by 4013 people and urged the Scottish Government to abolish all local authority charges for non-residential social care services.
The consultation has received backing from many organisations including the ‘Scotland Against the Care Tax’ group, Learning Disability Alliance Scotland, and Quarriers.
Siobhan McMahon for Central Scotland 