Council care cuts

A High Court ruling found that Birmingham City Council acted unlawfully by deciding to cut care services to disabled people.

Four disabled people challenged Birmingham’s decision to reduce council-funded social care provision as part of its £212 million cost-cutting exercise.

The judge found the council’s decision did not comply with the disability equality duty in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, making it clear that authorities are expected to take account of people’s disabilities even when this means treating disabled people more favourably than others.