Our Public Law Team helped our client secure a better care package with more hours of care from his local social services department. John*, previously had insufficient support to help him with simple tasks such as washing and feeding himself after social services’ initial allocation of support hours to him.
John is in his early thirties and has both mental and physical impairments. These impairments mean John needs almost constant support and care. However, when reassessing John’s needs, his local authority social services department allocated his amount of care hours based on an outdated report from mid-2018.
This decision meant John only got 18.5 hours a week of support from his allocated personal assistant. Not only did this allocation fall drastically short of meeting John’s needs, but it also had severe personal and mental health ramifications.
John had to sacrifice essential tasks due to his severe lack of support. If John used assistance to attend appointments or therapy then he’d sometimes have to go without help with cooking, cleaning, or washing himself.
This lack of support also left John with no time to engage in his hobbies. He couldn’t socialise in any way and he’d only be able to leave his flat to attend appointments or go food shopping.
John’s lack of support hours also led to a breakdown in his relationship with his partner. He became his primary carer due to the severe lack of support hours but ultimately the burden was too much and their relationship broke down.
John contacted our Public Law & Human Rights team to see how we could help him get the support he needs from the local authority. Public Law & Human Rights Solicitor, Katy Clarke began working alongside John to get a better understanding of his needs. She sent a letter to the local authority, requesting that they conduct an up to date assessment of John’s needs.
Following Katy’s letter, the local authority conducted a new and up-to-date Care Act assessment. This found that John’s current allocation of care hours wasn’t adequate. John then received a new allocation of nearly double his previous number of care hours.
This was vital for John as it meant he didn’t have to worry about his allocation of care hours and finally had the correct amount of support needed. It also meant that his partner no longer had the responsibility of being his primary carer.
If you or someone you know has caring needs and the correct level of support isn’t being provided. Then our Public Law & Human Rights team may be able to help. Please visit our Community Care Solicitors page for more information or call us on 0370 1500 100 .
*names have been changed
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