DISABLED PEOPLE IN BARNSLEY TO TEST RADICAL NEW SCHEME

Disabled people in Barnsley are set to try out a radical new way of funding their care.

Barnsley Council together with Sheffield City Council are among eight Trailblazer areas selected to try the Right to Control, which gives disabled adults more choice and control over the state funding they receive – allowing them to shape the support they receive, or take money with which to buy their own services or equipment.

Disabled people in the Trailblazer areas can expect a more personalised service joining up housing, support into work and community care. There will also be extra support and advice to help people choose services and decide how to spend their money.

Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Disabled People, said:
“Disabled people are the experts in their own lives and that is why, through the Right to Control, we have worked with them to give people more control over the funding they receive and the services they use.

“Jobcentre Plus will be working closely with the local authorities in the Trailblazer areas to help to deliver this greater independence that disabled people tell me they want.”

“The local authorities announced today will be at the forefront of this innovative approach to delivering services to disabled people, and will help identify whether Right to Control should be rolled out more widely.”

Under the Right, disabled people will be able to arrange their current support arrangements to better meet their needs, choose a cash payment to buy their own support services or equipment, or have a mixture of both. Alternatively, if people are happy with the support they currently receive, they won’t have to change anything.

For example, someone with a learning disability may get help from Supporting People to learn skills like cooking and budgeting. They may also get support from Work Choice, which helps people find a job. They could choose to combine their support by paying for a local college course, where they learn life skills and job skills.

Each of these local authorities will have to work with disabled people to develop individual support plans and each plan will make effective use of all the funding available to an individual, to meet their goals.

£7 million will be available for Trailblazer local authorities and Jobcentre Plus to make the changes necessary to deliver the Right to Control.


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