Talk given at event on Supported Living in London describing the cuts that are reducing social care and the incomes of disabled people.

1. The End of Our Illusions
what is really going on
Dr Simon Duffy ￭ The Centre for Welfare Reform ￭
Supported Living Conference ￭ 28th June 2012

2. Key points
1.We are at a new stage in the history
of disabled people in the UK
2.We need to come to face the facts
3.We need to learn lessons and move
on to do something better

3. Simon Duffy of The Centre for Welfare Reform
• In 1990 began to work alongside people with
learning difficulties
• Part of the original Supported Living team set
up by Peter Kinsella in 1992
• Invented Individual (personal) Budgets and
Self-Directed Support in Scotland in late 1990s
• Led In Control from 2003-09 to test and
develop these ideas in England
• In 2009 began The Centre for Welfare Reform

4. Our recent history - some key events
• 1970s - growth in institutions finally stops
• 1980s - ‘Board & Lodging’ programme
unleashes growth in residential care
• 1996 - Direct payments finally legalised
• 2007 - Putting People First commits social care
system to individual budgets
• 2010 - Spending Review marks end of financial
growth in social care 25% cut by 2015

5. So what is really happening?

6. Biggest growth: central funding
[Source: HM Treasury, 2010 October Spending Review]

7. Biggest cuts: benefits & social care
[Source: HM Treasury, 2010 October Spending Review]

8. • English local government - cut by
£11.3 billion
• Benefits (excluding pensions) - cut by
£18 billion
[Source: Manifesto for a Fair Society]

9. • 58% of all cuts target disabled people
and people in poverty
• 36% of all cuts target disabled people
• 24% of all cuts target the 1.9% of the
population who need social care -
those with the most severe
impairments
[Source: Manifesto for a Fair Society]

11. • Unfair - target those who are most
disadvantaged
• Unfair - make an unequal society
even more unequal
• Unfair - target the very groups that
didn’t benefit from the economic
bubble

12. Why did this happen?

13. • Prejudice against and fear of disabled
people
• Political weakness of disabled people
- fragmented into many groups
• Complexity of social care and benefit
systems
• Confusion about the welfare system
and our shared rights
• Corruption of political systems that
must pander to key electoral groups

14. Did you know?
Tax Fraud is 15 times
greater than Benefit Fraud
Tax Avoidance is 70 times
greater than Benefit Fraud

15. [Sources: Various - see Manifesto for a Fair Society]

16. Did you know?
The poorest 10% of families
live on £9.70 per day
And pay the highest level of
tax of 47%

17. [Source: Office of National Statistics]

18. And all this has happened
DESPITE

19. • DDA and Equalities legislation
• UN Convention on Rights of
Disabled People
• Office of Disability Issues at the
heart of government
• Disabled People in the Commons and
Lords
• Personalisation and Direct Payments

20. What will this mean?

21. • End of Disability Living Allowance
• Cuts in Housing Benefit
• Reductions in Access to Work
• Reduced eligibility for ESA
• Increasingly intrusive testing - ATOS
• Increased poverty traps - e.g. saving caps
• Benefits reindexed to increase poverty
• End of ILF
• Increased eligibility for social care
• Increasing bureaucracy in social care
• Reducing budget levels in social care
• Return to institutions and care homes
• Increasing social care charges
• Increased taxes on the poor - e.g. VAT
• and many other measures

22. What should we do?

23. Grieve

24. Grief is the emotional
process by which we
face terrible facts - but
then try and move on

25. 1. Shock & Denial - “It can’t be that bad... just let me
concentrate on my job...”
2. Pain & Guilt - “This is my fault - look at what people
are doing with the RAS I invented...”
3. Anger & Bargaining - “We’ve got to fight... Oh no,
what will this mean for my job, my funding... I’d better
behave or what might happen”
4. Depression - “This is hopeless... we will never win.”
5. Calmer - “Okay I realise this isn’t going to go away”
6. Reconstruction - “What do we need to do differently”
7. Hope - “What can we learn and build towards”

26. 1. Protect and improve

27. www.know-your-rights.org.uk

28. 2. Innovate

30. 3. Get organised

31. Lots of different organisations:
DH DWP ODI DCLG CQC SCIE TLAP
Disability Rights UK Carers UK
ASL ECCA NAAPS ARC NCVO
ACEVO Carers Trust Mind NCB
Age UK Mencap Scope Housing Options
Community Groups People First ULOs
Representing lot of different groups

32. How do we build the
strongest possible alliance?

34. 4. Rebuild our vision

36. Everyone is equal, no matter their age,
differences or disabilities.
A fair society sees each of its members as a full
citizen - a unique person with a life of their own.
A fair society is organised to support everyone
to live a full life, with meaning and respect.

37. 1.Human rights - not services
2.Clear entitlements - not confusion
3.Early support - not crisis
4.Equal access - not institutional care
5.Choice and control - not dependence
6.Fair incomes - not insecurity
7.Fair taxes - not targeted
8.Financial reform - sustainable

38. For more information go to
www.centreforwelfarereform.org
www.campaignforafairsociety.org
please join
These slides are © Simon Duffy 2012 ￭ Publisher is The Centre for Welfare Reform
￭ Slides can be distributed subject to conditions set out at
www.centreforwelfarereform.org ￭