Leonard Cheshire poll backs free home care for disabled people in Wales

Most people in Wales back the introduction of free home care for disabled people, a policy ditched by the Welsh assembly government last year.

A poll by disability charity Leonard Cheshire  found 60 per cent of people backed free home care, and that 63 per cent would be more likely to vote for a party if it pledged to tackle disability poverty.

The Labour Party had pledged, in its 2003 manifesto for the assembly elections, to introduce free home care for disabled people, but ditched the policy last February on cost grounds.

Leonard Cheshire said its poll found that political parties that backed measures to tackle disability poverty would fare well in May’s assembly elections.

The charity also launched a report into home care, which found charges could have a serious, negative impact on disabled people “in financial and human terms”.