Extra £2bn announced in the Budget for social care is not enough to meet needs of disabled people – Mencap response to Budget 2017

Chancellor fails to take final opportunity to reverse damaging cuts to disability benefits coming in in April

Today the Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond announced the Budget, offering £2bn towards social care over the next three years, but offered no mention of reversing damaging cuts to disability benefits. Mencap responds below.

 Dan Scorer, Head of Policy at learning disability charity Mencap, said:

“The government’s long overdue recognition of the crisis in social care is welcome. The additional funding announced today will offer some stability as the government moves to consult on future funding options later this year. However, £4.6bn has been taken out of social care funding in the last six years, with people facing cuts to support and services. Future funding arrangements must be sustainable and sufficient to meet projected needs of disabled people in years to come.

“The Chancellor has failed to take this final chance to halt a deeply damaging cut to Employment and Support Allowance due to come in from April, stripping disabled people assessed as unable to work of £30 per week. This will only push disabled people further away from work by creating hardship and insecurity, damaging the government’s stated aim of halving the disability employment gap.”

Lorainne Bellamy, Mencap spokesperson who has a learning disability, said:

“I have a learning disability and have been living on my own now for seven years.  My supporter helps me with letters about my tax credits which are really difficult to understand. She helps me read and understand my telephone bills, my gas bills, my insurance and my statements from the bank. She has helped me set up direct debits so I can pay my bills and not get into debt. I used to not get any support at home, I struggled a lot, but this help has made a real difference.

“I know how important the support I have had has been in allowing me to be independent. I am worried that there are people worse off than me who don’t get any support at all and worry about what happens to them. The government need to make sure people with a learning disability and their families get the right support.”

Michelle Ornstein is 22 and has a learning disability, she currently receives ESA. She said:

“If the cuts go ahead, I’m worried about what will happen. I have anxiety and the money I receive helps me to be able to get out of the house and do things. If I don’t have that money anymore, I’m worried that I won’t be able to go out.

“It’s already hard enough for people with disabilities to find work and if they have less money, it will make it even harder to look for a job or go to interviews. People with disabilities are already fighting so hard in their communities to find work and the Government should be helping them instead of taking money away.”

For more information about Mencap, www.mencap.org.uk.

Charities Relate, Relationships Scotland and Mencap call for increased support for families

Parents who have a child with a learning disability are facing unnecessary pressures on their relationships. This is according to a new report, which finds that one in three of these parents is in a relationship which would be described in the counselling room as ‘distressed’ (compared to one in four parents in the general population)*. The research also found that parents who have a child with a learning disability are more likely to feel lonely, have less time for date nights and identify money worries as a strain on their relationship.

The report, Under pressure: the relationships of UK parents who have a child with a learning disability, was produced by leading relationships charities Relate and Relationships Scotland and is sponsored by learning disability charity, Mencap. Over 5,000 people were questioned in the survey that forms the basis of the report, including 280 parents of a child with a learning disability. 

In response to these findings, Relate, Relationships Scotland and Mencap have joined forces to call for better access to short breaks services, improved childcare support for parents of children with a learning disability and targeted relationship support. The charities say that, together, these measures would reduce the strains on parents’ relationships and ensure families can enjoy the positives that having a child with a learning disability brings.

Key findings in the research highlighted:

Top relationship strains, such as the lack of quality time parents of a child with a learning disability have available for one another. Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) only find time for a date night once a year or less, compared to less than a fifth (17%) of other parents. Finances were also a factor: four in ten (39 per cent) parents of a child with a learning disability identified money worries as a strain on their relationship – compared to 29 per cent of other parents. Mental health was the second biggest relationship strain, with one in four (24 per cent) identifying this as an issue – more than twice as many as other parents.  As a likely result of these pressures, 22 per cent of these parents reported at least occasionally regretting being in their relationship, compared to 14 per cent of parents in the general population.

On top of the relationship issues, feelings of loneliness and poor overall wellbeing.  More than one in five (22 per cent) parents of a child with a learning disability feel lonely often or all the time – compared to 13 per cent of other parents. One in six parents of children with a learning disability has no close friends. Parents of children with a learning disability are almost twice as likely to feel down, depressed or hopeless often or all the time (27 per cent compared to only 14 per cent of other parents).

Parents of a child with a learning disability were also more likely to agree that all relationships come under pressure from time to time and everyone could benefit from support with their relationships (64 per cent agreed compared to 53 per cent of parents without a child with a learning disability).

Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of Relate, said:

“We all face challenges in our relationships, but our research shows that parents who have a child with a learning disability face additional pressures. Unhappy relationships can have a terrible impact on couples and their children but it doesn’t have to be this way. At Relate, we know how counselling can benefit parents of children with a learning disability and we need to make sure it’s available, as part of a wider package of support, to families who need it.”

Jan Tregelles, Chief Executive of Mencap, said:

“It is upsetting – but not surprising – to hear about the relationship pressures faced by parents of children with a learning disability, especially as Mencap’s own research** shows these strains are avoidable.

“Having a child with a learning disability is not the guarantee of hardship that many would have us believe. Despite this, many families are living without access to necessary support and interventions which can be the difference in a family reaching breaking point or not.

“As a society, we have a lot to learn about how to deal with disability. Public attitudes can lead to parents feeling isolated and authorities too often see the child as the problem. But we know that if parents are able to get the right help, such as financial support and better access to short breaks and extra childcare, poorer family wellbeing is not inevitable, and, in fact, these families’ relationships can really flourish.”

Ramya Kumar, 38 and from Swindon, whose nine-year-old son Rishi has autism and a related learning disability, said:

“Caring for my son has in many ways taken over my life. Caring can sometimes be 24/7 and I’ve felt like, in some ways, I’ve forgotten how to be a wife to my husband. We rarely get to go for meals as a couple and can sometimes feel isolated from society due to the attitudes of other parents to disability. But, we wouldn’t change anything about Rishi. He’s given me the priceless gift of perspective and has made me a better and stronger person.”

“Many of the challenges we face can be solved by having the right support from local authorities and acceptance from the public. Rishi gets respite care for four hours a month. We’re lucky that our local community nurse has been a pillar of strength. Her support has made a huge difference to our lives. Our major worry at the moment is about Rishi’s future and making sure he gets to be fully part of his community – it’s created a great divide in opinion between my husband and I. But nothing can replace the boundless love and joy that Rishi has given us. If we had known about the support available and if it had been there from the start, some of these challenges could have been avoided.”

The Williamson Art Gallery and Museum in Claughton, Birkenhead, is now showing ‘SmART, a learning disability collaboration Project’, which boasts beautiful and thoughtful art from over 25 artists with a learning disability from across the borough.

Four participating organisations; Wirral Evolutions, Royal Mencap Society, Autism Together and Wirral Mencap’s Crossbow Club set up the exhibition to give the artistic talents of local people with a learning disability a public platform. The work was created with support from professional artists, as part of the Gateway Awards Programme – the accessible partner of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The highlight of the exhibition, which is open to visitors for six weeks, is a giant people paper chain representing friendship and collaboration. It was created with input from all of the artists over a two day workshop facilitated by the Williamson’s artists in residence.

Georgina Davy, who led the workshop, said:

“It was an absolute pleasure. I personally took inspiration from the positive creative attitudes and pride and total commitment to the united task.”

The opening and private viewing was held last week and was attended by over 70 local people. During the evening participants were presented with certificates to mark completion of the Bronze Gateway Award.

Lizzie Carline, Projects Manager at Wirral Mencap, said:

“The event was a huge success, where art and collective achievement were top of the agenda rather than disability.”

The collaboration is supported by Royal Mencap Society’s Beacon Project. For more information please contact Wirral Mencap on 0151 666 1829 or email info@mencapwirral.org.uk. For more information on the Williamson Art Gallery please go to http://williamsonartgallery.org/.

The national report, which was published by Mencap as part of their Don’t Freeze Us Out Campaign last week, asked 300 learning disabled people aged between 18 to 35 how they felt about going to clubs and music gigs.

The report showed that 1 in 4 had been bullied at a nightclub, 13% said they were worried about asking for help if they needed it and 24% said they often felt like they couldn’t go to clubs and therefore felt isolated.

Since spring 2015, ARC have worked with a group of learning disabled club planners to create and run the Arctic Piranha club nights ensuring that learning disabled adults living in the Tees Valley to enjoy a genuine club night experience without the worry of feeling isolated, out of place or afraid.

Vici Wreford Sinnott, Creative Lead for the Cultural Shift project said:

“Since the club nights were introduced, staff at ARC have seen a steady increase in numbers and positive feedback from learning disabled clubbers who have enjoyed club night themes including Hollywood red carpet, Summer Nights as well as Halloween and Christmas club nights.”

The club nights have a relaxed pace, safe chill out areas and companions can accompany clubbers for free. There is also the opportunity for learning disabled people to have their say on the theme of each club night as well as suggest ideas for the music and cocktail list for each event at a regular club night planning meeting.

The next club night will take place on Saturday 21 January and has a Gold theme. The club night on Saturday 11 February will take on an I’m A Celebrity jungle theme and there will be a space themed club night on Saturday 18 March.

The January club night starts at 7.30pm and costs £3 per person and companions go free. Drinks and snacks will be available to buy at the bar.

Tickets can be booked at www.arconline.co.uk or via calling the Box Office on 01642 525199.

The three disability organisations will work closely with partners to ensure that the festival reaches all parts of the community and is inclusive to all, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, cultural views, sexuality or disability.

As well as being a great day out for the whole community, the event aims to highlight the achievements and positive contributions made to society by local people with a learning disability. Each organisation is recruiting a number of representatives who will be at the centre of planning, promotion and delivery.

One of the representatives, Jim Williams, said, “I think it will be lovely for the community and for all the clubs and groups to come together”. Another of the reps, Graham Trivett said, “With getting all of us together, it’ll be interesting to see what we can achieve.”

Lee Van Chaplin, who receives support from Options for Supported Living said, “This festival will be great. I’m working towards being more independent so this will give me a chance to meet people and let people in the community see that I want the same things as everyone else, I would like to see if there are things I can get involved in – I’m really interested in music and one day I would like to become a DJ”.

If you are interested in finding out more about One Wirral Fest, please contact Wirral Mencap on 0151 666 1829.

Leroy Binns, Campaigns Assistant at Mencap

Today (21 December) the Department of Work and Pensions has announced plans to recruit disability champions in to key sectors of businesses, such as retail, hospitality and sport, to improve accessibility for disabled people in the UK.

Accessibility is a huge issue for people with a learning disability who can struggle to understand information when out in public. Despite rulings under the Equality Act 2010 many venues fail to meet the needs of the 1.4 million people with a learning disability in the UK.

Mencap respond to today’s announcement below.

Leroy Binns has a learning disability and works as a Campaigns Assistant at Mencap, said:

“I think having disability champions in businesses is a very good idea because people with a learning disability still find lots of places and businesses inaccessible because of negative attitudes from staff and the public.

“Sometimes when I’m out in shops or restaurants, staff can’t understand me and don’t make any effort to either, or they ignore me. I also get funny looks from staff and the public, and some people I know have been called names, such as the ‘R’ word as well. I think staff should have training on how to communicate with people with a learning disability and how they can help so that people feel like they are welcome.

“Large businesses and shops should also install Changing Places toilets so that people with profound and multiple disabilities and people less able to walk can use a toilet safely when they’re out and away from home.

“There is a lot of room for improvement in making things more accessible for people with a learning disability, and I think having champions will help businesses understand how to make people with a learning disability feel more included and welcome.”

Universal Credit taper rate does nothing to mitigate cuts to Employment and Support Allowance – Mencap response to Autumn statement.

Mencap highlights an Autumn Statement that fails to mitigate any of the damaging effects of the £30 a week cut to Employment and Support Allowance and failure to explain how the Government intends to halve the disability employment gap – a key manifesto commitment to disabled people.

Dan Scorer, Head of Policy at Mencap said:

“The Chancellor has failed to heed calls from his own MPs to reverse damaging cuts to disabled people’s benefits that will drive them further from work and push them towards or deeper into poverty. He has also failed to address the serious crisis in funding for social care.

“Whilst the change to the taper rate to Universal Credit will allow some people in work to keep a small amount more of their income, it does little to mitigate the damaging effect of the £30 a week cut to Employment and Support Allowance and it’s equivalent in Universal Credit – a cut which will hit both those out of work and those in work on low incomes.

“At the last election, the Government made a promise to disabled people that they would halve the disability employment gap.  The Autumn Statement offers little to help people with a learning disability move into work, or cope with the loss of support from social care services.”