LAMBETH COUNCIL: WITHDRAW THE NEW DIRECT PAYMENT AGREEMENT AND LAUNCH A FULL AND MEANINGFUL CONSULTATION

A social care and support package is a vital resource for disabled people. Many disabled people opt for direct payments (DP) to fund their care and support. A fundamental part of the direct payments scheme is Personalisation. Personalisation should afford disabled people flexibility, control, and of course choice.

Lambeth Council is currently rolling out a revised Direct Payments Agreement Contract (DPA Contract). Lambeth Council claims proudly to be a ‘Cooperative’ Council. Yet they uncooperatively refused to take our concerns on board.

Many direct payments users who are also members of the Lambeth Pan Disability Forum (LPDF)have expressed concern over some of the revised terms within the DPA Contract. Indeed, some of the terms in the contract do not comply with Care Act Guidelines and are contrary to the spirit of Personalisation.

Basically, by signing the contract disabled people are agreeing to surrender the flexibility that DPs afford them; by complying with the contract they are, effectively, limiting their choice in PA/support workers; and, losing control over their care and support packages.

Therefore, we the undersigned call on Lambeth Council to 
withdraw their revised DPA Contract and put the document out to DP users for an objective and transparent consultation process.

Signed:

Seán McGovern (Co-Chair of the Lambeth Pan Disability Forum