Over 70 disability charity leaders have written to MPs following the success of Baroness Barkers amendment to the National Insurance Bill in the House of Lords recently. The amendment seeks to exempt charities providing health and care from increases in Employer National Insurance Contributions, due to take effect in April.
The letter looks to MPs to support the amendment when the Bill returns to the Commons given the significant impact of NICs on the frontline care and support disabled people rely on.
While there has been investment in social care following the Autumn Budget, the funding available continues to fall far short of what is needed to ensure disabled people, families and carers are able to access the support they need. Independent analysis by Cordis Bright, commissioned by VODG finds the cost of the Autumn Budget to VODG members alone, to be at least £266m a year. More widely, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services anticipate a shortfall of £1.4bn for adult social care in 2025/26, just for services to standstill.
Disabled people with lifelong conditions have very clear legal entitlements to care and support. The vast majority, without their own private assets, rely on local authority and health commissioners to fund the support they need. VODG members providing services are therefore largely dependent on public sector contracts to cover the costs of the support they provide, which by its nature requires a high level of staffing to ensure person-led, safe, high quality support. Unfunded increases like those linked to the recent ENICs decision and the welcome national living wage increase, pose a perilous risk to the services so many people rely on.
Signatories of the letter seek to work with MPs to share good practice, amplify where effective local partnerships are making a difference and ensure disabled people of all ages, families and carers are able to access the support they need.
The letter is signed by:
Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive, Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG)
Jeff Skipp, Chief Executive, Ability Housing Association
Craig Crowley, Chief Executive, Action Deafness
Maria Mills, Chief Executive, Active Prospects
David Coe, Chief Executive, AFK
Sue Livett, Managing Director, Aldingbourne Trust
Ian Pritchard, Chief Executive, Alternative Futures Group
Mark Milton, Chief Executive, Ambient
Robert Shanahan, Chief Executive, Aspens
Gill Bryant, Chief Executive, Aurora Nexus
Sarah Butcher., Chief Executive, Autism at Kingwood
Tom Harrison, Chief Executive, Autism West Midlands
Jo Land, Chief Executive, Avenues Group
Irene Sobowale. Chief Executive, Brainkind
Helen England, Chief Executive, Brandon Trust
Anna McEwen, Chief Executive, Bromley Mencap
Sara Thakkar, Chief Executive, Camphill Village Trust
Sarah Edwards, Chief Executive, Canterbury Oast Trust
Aisling Duffy, Chief Executive, Certitude
Gareth Groves, Director of Services, Chiltern Centre
Victoria Neish, Chief Executive, Coquet Trust
John Heritage, Chief Executive, David Lewis
Nikki Morris, Chief Executive, Deafblind UK
Rachael Dodgson, Chief Executive, Dimensions
Peter Calderbank, Chief Executive, Field Lane
Angela Murphy, Chief Executive, Fitzroy
Claire Hayward, Chief Executive, Freeways
John Verge, Chief Executive, Golden Lane Housing
Kathryn Courtenay Evans, Chief Executive, Guideposts Trust
Ru Watkins, Chief Executive, Hamelin
Angela Duce, Chief Executive, Harpenden Mencap
Sarah Lantsbury, Chief Executive, Headway East London
Sally Daniels, Chief Executive, Henshaws
Stephen Veevers, Chief Executive, Hft
Anna O'Mahony, Chief Executive, Hollybank Trust
Ruth Gorman, Chief Executive, Imagine Act and Succeed
Sue Pemberton, Chief Executive, Integrate
Karyn Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive, KeyRing
Katie Ghose, Chief Executive, Kids
Gabby Machell, Chief Executive, Learning Disability Network London
Valerie Waby, Chief Executive, Linkage Community Trust
Chris Hampson, Chief Executive, Look Ahead
Sarah Burslem, Chief Executive, MacIntyre
Rachel Peacock, Chief Executive, Making Space
Hilary Crowhurst, Chief Executive, Milestones Trust
Zoheb Shariff, Chief Executive, Mosaic 1898
Caroline Stevens, Chief Executive, National Autistic Society
Diane Hesketh, Chief Executive, Natural Breaks
Paul Tolley, Chief Executive, New Directions Rugby
Jo Howell, Chief Executive, Northam Care Trust
Naomi Dickson, Chief Executive, Norwood
Holly Dagnall, Director of Homes and Wellbeing, NCHA
Tracey Bush, Chief Executive, One Fylde
Kevin Peacock, Chief Executive, Options
Nicky Boland, Chief Executive, Outward
Alison Cooper, Executive Director, Parity for Disability
Martin Nicholas, Director, Partners in Support
Rachel Law, Chief Executive, PossAbilities
Jill Sheldrake, Chief Executive, PSS
Stephen Nichols, Chief Executive, Rossendale Trust
Les Warren, Managing Director, RWP (Reside with Progress)
Brandon Leigh, Chief Executive, Seashell Trust
Lisa Hopkins, Chief Executive, SeeAbility
Lucy Warnes, Chief Executive, SignHealth
Azra Kirby, Chief Executive, St Anne's
Emma Morris, Chief Executive, Stockdales
Maria Dolly Galvis Zapata, Chief Executive, The Elfrida Society
Andrew Willetts, Chief Executive, The Orpheus Centre
Paul McCay, Chief Executive, The Wilf Ward Family Trust
Hayley Connor, Chief Executive, The You Trust
Melanie Dunn, Chief Executive, Together Trust
Julie Bass, Chief Executive, Turning Point
Andrea Wiggins, Chief Executive, Vibrance
Richard Jones, Chief Executive, VoiceAbility
Holly Spiers, Chief Executive, Walsingham Support