Norfolk campaigner 'disappointed' consultation going ahead

A disability campaigner in Norfolk said she was "disappointed" a consultation about possible benefit cuts was to go ahead.

Norfolk County Council wants to save £52.2m from its budget for the next financial year.

Last week, the communities secretary, Michael Gove, announced a £600m funding boost for local councils.

But the authority's cabinet has voted to press ahead with a consultation to reduce its disability allowance.

Judith Taylor, whose son has Down's syndrome, said: "It's very disappointing.

"We thought that they would at least defer or halt the decision but they're not prepared to do that and we don't understand why."

The county council has been considering a range of cuts to services but changes will need consultation before they go-ahead.

One of the proposals is to reduce an allowance for disabled people called the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG).

MIG is the amount of money people with disabilities can have before they have to pay for their own care.

In Norfolk, the rate is currently set at £187 a week.

But the county council is considering lowering it to £171.25 a week, to bring it in line with neighbouring authorities such as Suffolk, Essex and Hertfordshire.

Mrs Taylor, who lives in Buxton, Norfolk, set up the Disability Network Norfolk Group which represents people with disabilities and their carers.

She said members had hoped the council might have stepped back from the proposal following the Government's announcement of extra funding.

"We are having phone calls and messages late into the night," she said.

"They're [people who receive MIG] just worried sick, really. £16 pounds a week may not sound very much to most people but when it's ten percent of your income, it's a lot of money."

Last week, more than 40 Conservative MPs wrote to the Prime Minister, calling for extra funding for councils in England to avoid big cuts to services.

The letter, which was signed by Norfolk MPs Brandon Lewis and George Freeman, warned that, without emergency cash, many authorities would be forced to cut frontline services and raise council tax.

Mr Gove then announced councils would share £500m to help fund children's and adult social care.

But at a meeting on Monday, Andrew Jamieson, the council's cabinet member for finance, said details of the extra money were not clear.

"Obviously, we are extremely pleased that this happened," he said. "This money will inevitably help. But it is one-year [of] money.

"We don't know what the specifics are at this stage and therefore it is our intention to proceed with the consultation process."

The consultation over MIG will start on Monday, 19 February and last for 12 weeks.

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