Councils restricting social services to adults with critical needs

Up to six councils in England are restricting adult social services to people with critical needs, due to the pressures on resources from increased demand, NHS cuts and tight government grants, it has been claimed.

Hampshire Council’s deputy director of adult services, John Clifton, claimed six councils were already restricting services to critical cases, under the Fair Access to Care Services regulations.

Hampshire is consulting on restricting its eligibility to critical, though the policy would not come into force before the new year.

In a Local Government Association survey of 55 authorities affected by health deficits, three councils admitted they had raised eligibility thresholds to critical due to increased pressures on services caused by NHS cuts.

North Yorkshire and West Berkshire councils are among those that already have critical thresholds in place.