High Court ruling on cuts to services

Two families with severely disabled children who relied on support from short breaks services run by West Berkshire Mencap have won a High Court battle against their local authority over care cuts.

The High Court ruled that West Berkshire Council did not properly consider its legal duties before deciding to make cuts to vital services for disabled children, short breaks services. The High Court also highlighted how cuts to local council funding was putting councils under huge amounts of pressure when it comes to funding services.

Noting that short breaks are a vital lifeline for families, Rosanna Trudgian, Head of Campaigns at the Royal Mencap Society said “Today’s judgement should be a reminder of the damaging effects cuts to local council funding from central government can have on the needs of disabled children, and that the support they are entitled to should be protected. This High Court judgement should be a warning for the Government to address the crisis in local councils funding, in order to protect the support disabled people and their families rely on so desperately.”