Mencap warns on Northants cuts plan

Northamptonshire Council’s plans to tighten social care eligibility criteria and reduce respite services could have a devastating effect on people with learning difficulties,
Mencap has claimed.

This week the council said it would close two respite centres for people with learning difficulties and restrict access to all adults’ services to people with critical and “greater substantial” needs.

It currently provides services to those with critical and substantial needs, but has divided the substantial band into greater and lesser substantial needs to restrict eligibility.

Mencap chief executive Jo Williams said the charity was “bitterly disappointed” by the moves. A council spokesperson said it expected about 1,500 people to be affected
by the eligibility change but that it had not yet reassessed people.