Scope, in conjunction with independent think tank/research institute ‘Demos’, have created a Disability Cuts map. Specifically, Demos has created a Coping with the Cuts Index that measures how different local authorities are managing their social care and support budgets for children, adults and older people.

You can view the interactive map and all its information at http://disability-cuts-map.demos.co.uk

The local authorities are not ranked on the severity of their budget cuts, but by how much they have done to protect their frontline services for people with disabilities. The map assigns a rating to each local authority: Very Good, Good, Well, OK, Poor, Bad and Very Bad. Those authorities that have demonstrated that they are protecting frontline services and are highlighting innovation are ‘Very Good’ (dark brown), and those that are not are ‘Very Bad’ (light blue).

Local authorities that scored ‘Very Good’ include East Riding, Rochdale, Knowsley, Isle of Anglesey, Wrexham, Peterborough, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire. Local authorities that scored ‘Very Bad’ include Gateshead, South Tyneside, Conwy, Bridgend, Monmouthshire and Bristol.

By clicking on the region on the interactive map, statistics are displayed about how and why the rating was assigned. The ‘Coping Index’ is based on 6 elements, including:

1. Changes to social care budgets for children, adults and older people between 2010/11 and 2011/12
2. Average changes in user charges for a range of disability services including transport, community meals, respite etc. between 2010/11 and 2011/12
3. The care contribution policy put in place – how the local authority takes disability related benefits into account when calculating the amount people have to contribute to their social care funding
4. The level of efficiency reduction placed on personal budgets (which can make personal budgets lower than the cash equivalent of the care people would receive directly from their council)
5. The current eligibility criteria for state funded social care in the local authority (low, moderate, substantial or critical needs)
6. Any changes in eligibility criteria between 2010/11 and 2011/12

Changes were also made in the Welsh ranking criteria to reflect the changes between the English and Welsh systems, particularly around personal budgets and eligibility criteria.

You can find out more about Demos and their other projects on their website: http://www.demos.co.uk/about  

Sarah Bennington, September 2011

Written on behalf of Integrated Treatment Services. Integrated Treatment Services is a private Speech and Language Therapy service based in Leicestershire and the East Midlands. It specialises in providing highly-skilled Speech and Language Therapists, but also associates with other therapeutic professionals, including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists and Arts Therapists.