Such exclusion is wrong, not only through blatant discrimination but also from a very practical point of view. If authorities want to learn what support people with learning difficulties require to successfully use Direct Payments, then basing such a service on the pilot scheme findings of other groups of people with, perhaps, different needs, will not suffice. It will prove to be a self-fulfilling prophecy that people with learning difficulties cannot use Direct Payments. More importantly, the inclusion of people with learning difficulties in Direct Payment schemes will be of benefit to all. Making these procedures accessible, easier to understand, using basic straightforward systems that many more people can use must be of benefit to all.
Complex procedures are a way of retaining control or are attempts to divest all responsibility.
Authorities' lawyers and finance officers may prefer such procedures, but these must not be allowed to take precedence over accessibility. 28 May-3 June 1998. Modernising Social Services - the white paper. London, The Stationery Office. He edits Community Living magazine and has written several publications and articles on independent living.