• About
    • Ethics policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Ownership, funding and corrections
    • Complaints procedure
    • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact
  • Support
  • Newsletter
Brighton and Hove News
20 July, 2025
  • News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Opinion
    • Community
  • Arts and Culture
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Food and Drink
  • Sport
    • Brighton and Hove Albion
    • Cricket
  • Newsletter
  • Public notices
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Opinion
    • Community
  • Arts and Culture
    • Music
    • Theatre
    • Food and Drink
  • Sport
    • Brighton and Hove Albion
    • Cricket
  • Newsletter
  • Public notices
  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
Brighton and Hove News
No Result
View All Result
Home Brighton

Dozens of disabled people in Brighton and Hove hit by funding changes

by Frank le Duc
Friday 17 Jul, 2015 at 6:52PM
A A
2
By Roz Scott

Forty disabled people may no longer be able to live in their own homes as a result of funding changes.

The 40 people have some of the most complex needs with tailored care packages paid for from the Independent Living Fund (ILF).

The stark warning about their future was spelt out to members of Brighton and Hove City Council last night (Thursday 16 July).

They were lobbied on their way into the meeting at Brighton Town Hall in advance of a debate about the closure of the fund.

The Fed Centre for Independent Living was among those spelling out concerns.

The national fund was ended a few weeks ago and the government is passing on almost £500,000 to the council to pay for future care needs.

Councillor Phelim Mac Cafferty
Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty

Green and Labour councillors proposed motions to the meeting of the full council yesterday to reinstate or ringfence the money. But neither motion was agreed.

Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, who proposed the Green motion, said: “We are extremely disappointed that Labour have chosen not to support our motion and, in so doing, are prepared to create uncertainty for the most severely disabled people in the community.

“Without the funding ringfenced we are essentially saying that the independence and the dignity of our disabled residents doesn’t matter because they can join the scramble in the race to the bottom for whatever is left over.

“We say very clearly that that shouldn’t happen.

“For what I estimate to be in the range of £2 million pounds for the next four years we could provide hope for people being dragged to hell and back by the changes being imposed on them.

“Figures from Scope tell us that some 70 per cent of disabled people, due to losing care and support services, were sometimes unable to wash, dress or eat.

“In the sixth richest country in the world why should our own residents have to live like this?

“Are some of our most disadvantaged residents not worth the dignity that you or I possibly take for granted to eat, drink, go to the toilet, to learn, to have a social life?

Councillor Les Hamilton
Councillor Les Hamilton

“At this moment in time, the cuts mean some of these very things will be thrown to the wayside.”

Councillor Les Hamilton proposed a Labour motion asking for the Independent Living Fund to be permanently reinstated and linked to inflation.

Conservative group leader Geoffrey Theobald said that there would be no 5 per cent cut by Brighton and Hove councillors.

Labour councillor Karen Barford said: “No change is easy, especially no two-tier approach. Forty people in the city now face different assessment criteria because of the closure of the Independent Living Fund.”

Green councillor Dick Page said: “People’s lives are not primarily about money and should not be determined by budgets.”

One of Councillor Page’s constituents approached him and said that since he had lost his live-in carer, he had become a prisoner in his own home and had no quality of life.

The Green Party would like to see a standalone fund in Brighton and Hove. Instead the money is expected to be treated as part of the council’s general fund.

Labour and Green councillors may now lobby the Local Government Association to try to prevent further cuts to the Independent Living Fund both in Brighton and Hove and nationally.

ShareTweetShareSendSendShare

Comments 2

  1. ruth gladdy says:
    10 years ago

    People with special needs need familiar surroundings cause that helps them so please give them more help not reduce it

    Reply
  2. Sue Kinsey says:
    10 years ago

    Those in power always attack the weakest and most vulnerable. It is unimaginable to try and think what it is like to be so severely disabled that the quality of life depends on authority.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Most read

Green tile pub owner finally due in court over ripped off tiles

Hire bike users back in the saddle as wheels come off fraud claims

Storm warning with heavy rain and thunder on the way

Seafront main road closed as man throws belongings from flat

Brighton lawyer sold himself dead woman’s house for knockdown price, court told

Lifeboat picks up ill-equipped paddleboarders heading for windfarm at dusk

Drugs trial date set for pair arrested at new Hove flats

Council agrees £7m budget for proposed swimming pool

Council’s budget shortfall will be £40m next year, warns finance chief

Hundreds share their views on how the City Plan should look

Newsletter

Arts and Culture

  • All
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Food and Drink
Moon Idle headline an awesome night at Brighton’s Alphabet

Moon Idle headline an awesome night at Brighton’s Alphabet

19 July 2025
Council yet to decide which three libraries will close

Community groups urged to save libraries at risk of closure

18 July 2025
Budgie has punters ‘Spellbound’

Budgie has punters ‘Spellbound’

17 July 2025
You aren’t doing it wrong (if no one knows what you are doing)

You Aren’t Doing It Wrong Gets It So Right!

17 July 2025
Load More

Sport

  • All
  • Brighton and Hove Albion
  • Cricket
Sussex Sharks open T20 Blast with a win

Sussex fall short against Surrey at Hove in T20

by Paul Weaver - ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
18 July 2025
0

Sussex Sharks 197-7 (20 overs) Surrey 204-5 (20 overs) Surrey win by seven runs Any remaining hope that Sussex could...

Councillor pleads for Hove leisure centre reopening to go more swimmingly

Council agrees £7m budget for proposed swimming pool

by Sarah Booker-Lewis - local democracy reporter
18 July 2025
7

Senior councillors have backed a £7 million proposal to build a new swimming pool in Brighton. Officials are now expected...

Sussex Sharks open T20 Blast with a win

Sussex return to winning ways in T20 Blast in dramatic style

by Frank le Duc
17 July 2025
0

Gloucestershire 185-5 (20 overs) Sussex Sharks 189-6 (20 overs) Sussex Sharks win by four wickets Danny Lamb held his nerve...

Plans for £6.9m swimming pool go before council cabinet

Plans for £6.9m swimming pool go before council cabinet

by Sarah Booker-Lewis - local democracy reporter
15 July 2025
37

Plans for a new public swimming pool are due to go before Brighton and Hove City Council’s cabinet on Thursday...

Load More
July 2015
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Jun   Aug »

RSS From Sussex News

  • Boy, 17, arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after stabbing 19 July 2025
  • Child sex abuser given 10-year sentence for grooming schoolgirl 18 July 2025
  • Stabbing suspect on the loose after leaving boy, 17, in serious condition 18 July 2025
  • Inquest to open after driver’s death in crash 18 July 2025
  • Death crash PC given court date 17 July 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • Contact
  • Support
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy
  • Complaints
  • Ownership, funding and corrections
  • Ethics
  • T&C

© 2023 Brighton and Hove News

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Opinion
  • Arts and Culture
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Sport
    • Cricket
  • Newsletter
  • Public notices
  • Advertise
  • About
  • Contact

© 2023 Brighton and Hove News