A disabled man has accused Reading council of ‘cutting off’ his support payments.
A disabled Reading man says Reading Borough Council has “cut off” his support payments for more than 15 months.
Dave Jurgensen, who lives in Reading and has asthma, dyslexia and cerebral palsy, uses a walking stick and previously received a "Personal Budget" from the council’s adult social care team to help pay for his care.
He says those direct payments have been suspended for 15 months while the council has insisted on a new care assessment to determine his needs.
Mr Jurgensen said: "My direct payments have been unlawfully suspended for over 15 months, despite repeated assurances from the council that they would be reinstated.
"This has left me without consistent care support, which is a current safeguarding risk under Section 42 of the Care Act 2014.
"The council’s delays and procedural inventions continue to deny me access to safeguarding protections.
"They are forcing me to do a new care assessment, but I am a continued client."
He also criticised long delays over a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). Mr Jurgensen received about £3,000 to make adjustments to his social housing flat in Luscinia View, but only after years of waiting.
He said: "I can't believe what's happening, I'm carrying on regardless. I had a seven-year delay for the DFG.
"They have unlawfully terminated my care payments, they have never admitted that, this is how they operate. They have ended my care plan, but never put in writing that it ended.
"They are trying to make me a new applicant so they can disregard my grants and all other processes. This is unlawful behaviour.
"I'm not a new applicant, I'm a continuing applicant – I've been with them since 2006.
"This council is unlawful and criminal."
Reading Borough Council said care reviews must be carried out regularly and suspending payments is a "last resort" that can be reversed following a care review.
The council added: "The council has a statutory duty to review a resident’s care and support plan at least once a year to ensure residents are getting the right level of care and support.
"We only suspend support in exceptional circumstances such as a significant period of time since the previous review or lack of engagement and would always be the last resort if unable to meet with the resident.
"Such decisions are communicated to residents in writing, with notice period given.
"Any subsequent engagement would start the statutory process again, with a new Care Act Assessment completed.
"It is best practice for reviews to happen in the resident’s home to ensure we can tailor the right care and support to the person’s environment and complete any risk assessments.
"However, we make every effort and reasonable adjustments to enable a review or assessment to happen."
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
