Independent UK: Courts step in to save vulnerable from cuts

[marmar]

Courts step in to save vulnerable from cuts
Landmark ruling defends the right to social care – but may throw austerity plans into disarray

Nina Lakhani
Saturday 12 November 2011


Two disabled men who faced losing their right to care won a landmark High Court case yesterday over cost cutting by their council. It was the latest in a series of rulings that threatens to disrupt the Government's attempts to slash local authority spending.

Campaigners said the judgment, in which the Isle of Wight council's plan to reduce its adult social care budget was ruled unlawful and quashed, should serve as a warning to every council that is planning cuts.

It is the second High Court ruling this week to deal a major blow to local authorities seeking to save millions of pounds by targeting adult social care in the wake of massive central government cuts to their budgets.

Mrs Justice Lang, sitting in London, ruled against the Isle of Wight's plan to restrict access to social care by making it harder for people to meet eligibility criteria. The judgment makes it unlawful for councils trying to make cuts to adult social care to ignore the impact this will have on a person's quality of life. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/courts-step-in-to-save-vulnerable-from-cuts-6261192.html