Liberal Democrat County Councillors have strongly criticised Surrey County Council for hiking adult social care charges for disabled and vulnerable residents.

The new charges are due to take effect from 3rd October 2016 despite a consultation which showed strong opposition to the plans by residents and disability groups. Up till now, Surrey residents in receipt of Personal Independence Payments, Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance had the first £27.20 of their benefit disregarded when the Council was calculating their income. From October, the full amount of their benefit will be taken into account.

The effect of altering the way this calculation is made is that Surrey County Council will be billing 700 of Surrey’s most vulnerable residents for an extra £1million for services provided to them.

This price increase comes just months after Surrey County Council increased the Council Tax by an extra 2% to fund social services and despite:

* the County Council’s Social Care Services Board hearing evidence from the Surrey Coalition of Disabled People and Action for Carers, who both strongly opposed the changes; and

* the County Council’s Cabinet being presented with the results from the consultation on the proiposals which showed that 61% of respondents “disagreed or disagreed strongly” with the proposal.

The Social Care Services Board went so far as to criticise the proposals noting that there was “strong resistance to the proposed changes, and concerns about the detrimental impact on disabled people, their carers and families given the reduction in disposable income”.

Surrey’s Liberal Democrats believe that one of the most important aspects of our role as County Councillors is to protect vulnerable and disabled residents, and help improve the quality of their lives. As such, these proposals are anathema to us and it is appalling that these plans have been given implemented by the administration at County Hall. The members of the Cabinet should hang their heads in shame.