Brighton councillors in dark on cash taken back from disabled families

Some parents spoke out after belatedly receiving letters from the council giving them little or no notice that “surplus money” would be taken from their accounts.

The letter said that any sum greater than six weeks’ worth of “direct payments” would go back to the council for “redistribution”.

The money was paid to families to fund vital help, including respite care and personal assistants. Some families had been setting aside money for these needs and others had struggled to find the help that they needed.

• READ MORE: Council apologise for clawing back cash from families of children with disabilities

After the the clawbacks were revealed, Green councillor Hannah Allbrooke, who chairs the council’s children, young people and skills committee, said that she knew nothing about the decision.

Cllr Allbrooke said: “The policies and procedures used with the distribution of direct payments for both adults and children were last updated in 2016 when Labour ran the council.

“The council uses a national procedure on the basis of the law and does not have any local policy. This decision to adopt new procedures in 2016 was not presented to councillors at the time.

“I was not aware of the letters being sent to families regarding direct payments and I was disappointed to hear about the concerns relating to them.

“When the issue was brought to my attention, I asked council staff to reflect on what had happened and issue an apology.

“I am pleased that this apology was given and that council staff have given me their commitment that they will learn from this to prevent unnecessary upset for families in future.

“Although surplus funds from direct payments have been reclaimed in previous years for both adults and children, it is clear that the sensitivity of the current financial situation was not recognised.

“The communication was issued too late and didn’t address the families’ worries about the cost of living crisis. This will be learnt from in future.

“A policy is also in development which will make it clear both to people who receive direct payments and councillors how they will be managed.

“Council officers will also meet with the Parent Carers’ Council (Pacc) to understand the concerns of families which will be used to inform the policy and any future action.

“Any parents who have raised concerns will also be written to by council staff to resolve any outstanding issues.”

Councillor Hannah Allbrooke spoke out after cash was clawed back

The council’s apology, issued on Thursday 10 November, said that there was no intention to leave any families out of pocket. Parents were invited to get in touch to find ways of resolving any problems.

The council said: “Our intention was to warn people in advance of the withdrawals. It is very unfortunate that letters sent to families informing them of the planned withdrawal of surplus funding appear to have been delayed. We believe this must have been due to postal strikes.”

Families received letters dated Saturday 15 October on Friday 28 October telling them that any surplus cash would be taken from their accounts.

One mother, who asked not to be identified, said that she had left four messages for her direct payments manager since receiving the letter but had yet to receive a response.

Her child has complex needs and the sum that the council said that she would have left in her direct payments account would total less than two weeks’ money rather than six.

• READ MORE: Parents of children with disabilities outraged as council claws back money

She said: “To date, the funds are still there. But it’s causing me tremendous stress and anxiety wondering when they’ll take it and what I’ll ultimately be left with.

“I worry that I will no longer be able to pay for my PA and my after-school and holiday clubs. I am using that money.”

Conservative councillor Vanessa Brown and Labour councillor Jackie O’Quinn said that they were waiting to speak to executive director Deb Austin about the decision.

Councillor Carmen Appich, joint leader of the Labour opposition, said: “I had no idea that this was happening and I and my colleagues were clearly not briefed about this decision.

“I will leave it to those who made the decisions to comment on the detail or the rationale for making the decision, though I can confirm that there is a huge problem with council finances up and down the country, not just here in Brighton and Hove.”

The Labour MP for Hove, Peter Kyle, said that he would raise the matter with ministers in Parliament.