Disabled people protest against ‘callous’ cuts to adult social care in Oxfordshire

Disabled people, families and campaigners have protested outside Oxfordshire County Council against changes to adult social care which they fear will leave people paying more for essential support.

Campaigners gathered outside County Hall in Oxford to oppose measures expected to save the local authority around £1.8 million a year, including new charges for council-arranged transport and increased costs for independent living technology.

Oxfordshire Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), which organised the demonstration, has described the changes as “callous” and warned that people already facing financial pressures could be pushed further into hardship.

Under the changes approved by the council’s cabinet in July, people using council-arranged transport will face a £10 daily charge, while the weekly charge for the council’s independent living technology service will rise to £9.87.

The standard Disability Related Expenditure allowance will also be reduced from 35% to 25% of relevant disability benefits.

Disability Related Expenditure is intended to recognise the additional costs a disabled person may face because of their condition or impairment when councils calculate how much somebody can afford to contribute towards their care.

Campaigners argue that reducing the allowance could therefore result in some disabled people having to contribute more of their own money towards social care.

Pat Carmody, from Oxfordshire DPAC, said the group understood the financial pressures facing councils but did not believe disabled people should have to bear the cost of problems with local government funding. He warned that the additional costs could leave some people having to make difficult decisions between everyday living expenses and accessing services they need.

Ruksana Yasmin attended the protest on behalf of a disabled family member who will be affected by the changes. She said adult social care was already means-tested rather than free at the point of delivery and warned that requiring disabled people to pay more towards essential services could push people further into poverty and hardship.

Campaigners are particularly concerned about the introduction of the £10 daily transport charge because some people depend on council-arranged transport to reach services and appointments.

DPAC said the support can be crucial in enabling disabled people to attend care and medical appointments and maintain their independence within the community.

The protest comes as councils across England continue to face significant financial pressure from growing demand for adult social care alongside wider constraints on local authority budgets. Oxfordshire County Council said the decisions had been difficult and had not been taken lightly.

Councillor Rebekah Fletcher, the council’s cabinet member for adults, acknowledged that the changes would affect people who rely on support and said the authority understood the concerns being raised.

The council said the measures were needed to help ensure its financial sustainability and bring its approach into line with comparable local authorities. It is facing a £5.4 million budget gap during the current financial year and expects a £27.2 million reduction in government funding by 2028/29.

The authority said people affected by the changes were being contacted directly and would receive information to help them understand what the changes mean and what support may be available

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