Autism campaigners write to health bosses asking them to consider new funding

In their letter, carers call on the council to consider new sources of funding before closing day centres

Mary Langan, whose 22-year-old son James has autism, has joined forces with supporters representing vulnerable adults.

In a letter to councillors and health bosses, they cite plans from NHS England to release £45m over the next three years for councils and NHS bodies to encourage vulnerable adults to live independently.

“Now is not the time to press on with a three year cuts programme regardless of the new circumstances,” the letter said.

The campaigners have asked the council to consider raising council tax by two per cent, as sanctioned in the Autumn Statement.

They are also asking the council to look at the Better Care Fund, which they believe may boost funding for local authority social care in 2017.

Day centres including the Birkbeck Road Day Centre in Hornsey and Always Day Centre near Muswell Hill will close.

A Haringey Council spokeswoman said: “We recognise people’s concerns about the scale of cuts, which is why we have been working closely with service users to ensure that our new approach to adult care remains centred around their needs. With costs and demands for adult social care continuing to soar, trying to meet demand by increasing expenditure can at best be a short-term sticking plaster.”