The government announced (in the Pre-Budget Report) that funding for the Supporting People programme (helping a wide variety of disadvantaged groups) would be cut to 1,685 million in 2006-07, down from 1,715 million in 2005-06.
Source: Britain Meeting the Global Challenge: Enterprise, fairness and responsibility - Pre-Budget Report, Cm 6701, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | HMT press release | NHF press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Dec
A report said that recent developments like pedestrianization programmes and traffic management schemes had done little to improve access for disabled people around Scotland s main city and town centres.
Source: No Entry?, Capability Scotland (0131 313 5510)
Links: Capability Scotland press release
Date: 2005-Dec
The government began consultation on its initial strategy for taking forward the Supporting People programme (provision of housing-related support services to enable vulnerable people to live independently). It set out a proposed model to facilitate more focused and integrated service delivery.
Source: Creating Sustainable Communities: Supporting Independence, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 3000)
Links: Consultation document | Community Care report
Date: 2005-Nov
The government announced that families in England needing to adapt their homes to care for a disabled child would no longer be subject to means testing, from December 2005.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 27 October 2005, column 13WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | ODPM press release | JRF press release | NCH press release
Date: 2005-Oct
A report provided an independent evaluation of the disabled facilities grant. It said that adaptations provided through the grant were consistently effective. (The disabled facilities grant provides means-tested support for housing adaptations.)
Source: Frances Heywood et al., Reviewing the Disabled Facilities Grant Programme, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Oct
Campaigners said that 66 per cent of polling stations surveyed during the 2005 general election failed a basic access test for disabled people.
Source: Press release 17 May 2005, Scope (020 7619 7341)
Links: Scope press release
Date: 2005-May
An article explored the barriers to providing genuine housing choice for adults with learning disabilities. Carers needed involvement, information and support during the development of housing plans.
Source: Laura Bowey, 'Assessing the barriers to achieving genuine housing choice for adults with a learning disability: The views of family carers and professionals', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 35 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Jan