Oxfordshire County Council social care cuts set to get green light

A county council plan to cut living allowances and introduce new charges for means-tested travel and an independent living service has been recommended for approval despite a consultation finding a majority of service users thought the changes were “not reasonable”.

Hundreds responded to a consultation sent to 4,430 people who may be impacted, including elderly and disabled people – those replying also included carers.

The cuts, which could be approved by the county council’s cabinet on Tuesday, July 28, are intended to save £1.8 million a year.

The authority currently spends around £302 million a year on its social care system, supporting over 6,800 people.

The move has been described by the county’s adult social care chief Rebekah Fletcher as trying to “scrape meat off the bones” amid “constantly rising” demand as the council attempts to fill a £5.4 million budget gap for 2026/27.

Proposals involve a reduction in allowances that support disabled people with expenses such as increased heating costs, additional laundry, specialist clothing, and equipment needs.

Social care is not free at the point of service, and the allowances known as Disability Related Expenditure (DRE) are a percentage of benefits for living costs left to people after paying for social care.

Currently, people in Oxfordshire are able to keep 35 per cent of their disability benefits as DRE, which a council report says is “much higher” than other authorities.

At a scrutiny committee, a former social care chief Jenny Hannaby, said 35 per cent was in place because people “weren’t managing” without it.

The committee also heard “the most vulnerable people in our society” could “suffer” if plans go ahead.

The proposal reduces DRE, leaving people with 25 per cent of their benefits for the living allowance.

At the same time, it would introduce a £10-a-day care organised transport fee and increase the cost to use independent living technology by more than 50 per cent with a £9.87 weekly charge.

The report recommending the cabinet moves forward on this said the majority of people “felt that the proposed changes would result in an overall negative impact mainly due to increased financial pressures, social isolation and personal safety”, – only 9 per cent thought they were reasonable.

Until April 2028, the county council must run and fund adult social care – it will be split up and handed to the three new councils Northern Oxfordshire, Greater Oxford and Ridgeway.