Disabled people plan charges rally

Disabled people are to march across London to protest at
“punitive” care charges being levied on those in work.

Wheelchair users carrying P45s and wearing bowler hats will hand
in a collective resignation letter to the Department of Health on
21 March, in an attempt to highlight the plight of working disabled
people.

Recent changes to the Independent Living Fund mean that couples
are only allowed to keep £105 of their earnings per week. Any
other income should be used to pay for care.

The future of the ILF is being reviewed and a consultation on
local authority care charges is due to close soon. The consultation
paper is slightly less punitive than the ILF rules, recommending
that a maximum of 55 per cent of income can be used to calculate
charges.