SOUTHAMPTON campaigners against a “disability tax” have threatened to take the city council to the High Court.

Disability activists have thanked the Echo for a “tremendous” publicity boost from a report last month.

It shed light on the fact that city woman, Margaret Jones, pays £277 per month for her 33-year-old daughter, Hannah, to attend an adult centre on weekdays.

The price has more than doubled since 2019, and since Ms Jones retired, she says she must fork out the entire sum from her own pocket.

This is the issue facing hundreds across the city - and now the campaigners are ready to up their protests. 

READ MORE: 'Misery' as nearly 20 Southampton homeless people die in single year

“The publicity given to the campaign in Southampton has resulted in many more people with learning disabilities, their parents and carers signing up and pledging that they too will make their voices heard,” said Keith Morrell, who is part of the campaign.

“Campaigners say they will be ramping up their campaign for all the charges to be scrapped completely, including challenging the City Council all the way to the High Court if necessary.

“Local campaigns across the country are getting backing at a national level. In the House of Lords, peers from all parties and cross-benchers, including Conservative peers Lady Campbell and Baroness Bull, are supporting the demand for care charges to be scrapped.”

Southampton was recently named as one of the worst places in the UK for delays in vital improvements to homes occupied by disabled people.

People applying for a means-tested disabled facility grant to fund improvements to their home must first have their needs assessed by an occupational therapist.

The city is among ten locations where people often wait an average of two-and-a-half years for work to be carried out, according to The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

Council health boss, Councillor Ivan White, previously told the Echo that budgets for social care are made up of a number of sources, including income from charging.

Daily Echo:

He said the council "recognise this way of paying for social care is not sustainable", and welcomed the incoming Health and Care Act, which will reform the way adult social care is paid for.

“In the meantime, Southampton City Council has not increased the charging policy this year and intends in preparation for the Health and Care Act (which is due to come into force later this year) to review all charges alongside the national changes," he said.

The Echo has asked the council for an updated comment on the group’s High Court threat, however, is yet to receive a response. 

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