It’s a social care lottery

DISABLED people in Oldham are more likely to get social care help than others living in different parts of the country.

Leonard Cheshire Disability said each year thousands of working age disabled adults and older people go without the care and support they need because three quarters of local authorities in England only provide social care to those with the most substantial and critical needs.

Figures show that across Oldham, only 9 per cent of disabled people of working age who applied for social care support in 2007-08 were not offered any services.

Since 2005-06, 405 disabled people have applied for support from Oldham Council and been refused.

There is a stark postcode lottery across the country with the percentage of people being turned away. In Cumbria the figure is as high as 25 per cent.

Councillor Brian Lord, cabinet member for adult services and health said: “Oldham Council changed the criteria for access to adult social care approximately four years ago.

“People in Oldham indicated that they would like to have access to a wider range of preventative services than those in place simply for people who met the ‘moderate’ criteria.

“One of these preventative services is the role of Neighbourhood Access and Protection Officers who provide guidance and advice to those individuals who would not meet the ‘substantial’ or ‘critical’ categories of assessment.

“Through such initiatives Oldham Council now has a truly wider preventative and support service.”

Leonard Cheshire Disability said the postcode lottery left people unsure of what help they could get and led to some being too afraid to move house because they might not get the same care package from a different local authority.

Charity bosses say Government must ensure people do not miss out on care because they cannot afford it.

The Government is currently consulting on changes to the care system.