Changes to Adult Social Care Policies
Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet has agreed to make changes to three policies to help make adult social care sustainable.
Disability Related Expenditure, which is an additional payment to the Government's Minimum Income Guarantee, has been returned to 25 per cent, and changes have been made to the telecare and council-arranged transport policies.
Adult social care is not free at the point of delivery and is means-tested. The changes will enable the service to continue to support people who have Care Act 2014-eligible support needs.
The policies are within the context of a projected funding gap of £5.4 million in 2026/27 and a forecast reduction in government funding of £27.2 million by 2028/29.
Councillor Rebekah Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Adults, said: “I would like to thank everyone who took the time to contribute to this process. Thank you to those who responded to the consultation, shared their experiences and concerns, and to members of the Scrutiny Committee for their thoughtful challenge and recommendations.
“You were listened to, and your feedback has directly informed the decision-making process and the safeguards that have been built into these proposals.
“What remains unchanged is our commitment to assessing people based on their individual circumstances and protecting those who need support.
“The Oxfordshire Way means fairness and sustainability. We are protecting people through robust safeguards and individual reviews, while ensuring adult social care remains sustainable for the future. That's the Oxfordshire Way supporting those who need us most while being responsible stewards of public money.
“No proposal of this nature is without impact, and we recognise that some people will feel these changes are difficult or unfair. Where that is the case, it is important that individual circumstances are properly considered and that the safeguards available are actively used.
“This is why the council has retained individual financial assessments, the Minimum Income Guarantee, Disability Related Expenditure reassessment routes, waiver arrangements, review mechanisms and targeted monitoring to ensure people receive support appropriate to their circumstances.”
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