Our Policy Work

Abolishing non-residential care charges for Disabled adults

Disability Law Service believes that home care should be free at the point of use. On the 24th July 2024, we published a research paper that highlights the detrimental impact of home care charges on Disabled people, and shows how local authorities in England are acting unlawfully by not abiding by the public sector equality duty. Please take a look at the report and other supplementary documents here. We also have an easy-read version of the executive summary, and a video with subtitles that summarise the report findings. It’s time to end this tax on disability.

You can read more about this work here

Reforming Welfare Benefits

Disability Law Service believes passionately that reforms to the welfare benefit system are needed to benefit Disabled people.

You can read more about our work here

The Need for Reasonable Adjustments for Carers

Disabled people are entitled to have reasonable adjustments made in their workplace conditions in order to ensure that they are able to work and can do so effectively. This right is provided for under the 2010 Equality Act.

In 2014 the Court of Appeal decided that this right is not available to carers. In that case the mother of a 17 year old with Down’s Syndrome was unable to seek a reasonable adjustment to her place of work in order that she could continue in work and conduct her duties as a carer.

We do not think that this is fair or right. The position has to change.

You can read more about the need here.

Equal Care Rights for Autistic Children

Autistic children should have the same opportunity to receive support as all other disabled young people. Yet certain local authorities are denying them such opportunity.  We are campaigning to bring about a change in the way Local Authorities assess and care manage the needs of autistic children.

Please see our article about equal care rights here. 

The article has also been published by our patron, Professor Luke Clements, on his website.

Proposals for Community Care Reform

In March 2022, we held a forum of service users and identified a number of recommendations for policy reform.
A common thread running throughout each of our policy recommendations is the shortage of central government funding to local authorities. Local authorities’ spending power has fallen by 16% since 2010 which has a direct bearing on their ability to adequately meet the social care needs of Disabled people. We therefore believe that local authorities need to be provided with government support that will increase their spending power in order to be able to implement our recommendations for Community Care reform.

Executive Summary: Proposals for Community Care reform 2022

Proposals for Community Care reform 2022