A WHEELCHAIR user is devastated after a council “clawed back” £50,000 he’d saved for the holiday of a lifetime.
Nathan Lee Davies, 47, skipped state-funded cinema trips and other activities to save for a vacation to Florida with his two carers.
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But bean counters at Wrexham County Borough Council said: “Surplus funds are to be returned.”
He said: “I have never wanted my holiday to be paid for.
“I can fund my own trip, but the Local Authority refuses to pay for the travel and accommodation of my two Personal Assistants.
“It just feels like I’ve been short-changed.”
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Nathan lives with Friedreich’s Ataxia, a progressive genetic disease of the nervous system.
The median life expectancy of sufferers is around 35.
Over years of saving, Nathan has forgone approved social activities and put away £50,000 – possible thanks to his £11,000-a-month 24-7 disability support.
He’s even provided the council with bank statements every quarter to prove he’s not misusing the cash.
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He planned to use the money for a six-day trip to Florida in May with a specialist travel company at a cost of £3,500.
The “cheapest option” holiday is Nathan’s first in 14 years and is “essential” to give him a bit of respite, he says.
He hoped to bring his two carers and have them paid for by the council but was “stunned” when asked to hand back the cash.
Nathan told the BBC Access All podcast: “I do object to having to pay for the people that will be working to support me.
“I deserve to escape from the home which is being made a prison.”
Nathan appealed the decision but lost before the council suspended his October, November and December payments.
It meant he had to shell out £33,000 of his disputed savings on care.
The council warned all of its social care plans were “designed” to support care needs alongside specified social activities, like the cinema.
It added: “[Nathan] has not engaged in the social activities that he receives Direct Payment funding for, which is a choice that he has every right to make.
“If an individual chooses not to use their social care funding on meeting their assessed needs then the policy in terms of claw back is clear that surplus funds are to be returned to the council.
“Direct Payments are not a benefit. They are a payment to support payment for care and support and so should not be considered as part of someone’s ‘income’ as they are not.”
Nathan has vowed to holiday in Florida but will foot the bill for hotels and flights for himself and his carers.
But he says the holiday costs have now surged to £5,800 – so he’s set up a GoFundMe to help cover the trip, which can be found here.
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The council said it was willing to fund his care while on holiday and “offered options” of sourcing carers in Florida.
It would mean zero costs around accommodation and travel, and just the cost of the American carers.
YOUR RIGHTS
Disability discrimination and benefits explained:
If you’re disabled, benefit providers must not discriminate against you when they make decisions about your benefits – and they might have to help you access their services.
For example, this includes:
- When the Department for Work and Pensions makes decisions about your benefits.
- When you have appointments at Jobcentre Plus.
- When you deal with other benefit services – like HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) or your local council.
These are private companies that carry out health assessments on behalf of the DWP when you apply for:
- Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Universal Credit – if your disability affects your ability to work
Source: Citizens Advice
