Town Hall social care chief Councillor Sally Gimson

Published: 6 August, 2015
by TOM FOOT

A WOMAN with severe brain damage and epilepsy has been ordered to repay hundreds of pounds of care benefits after Town Hall officials criticised her for spending some of the money on coffee and cleaning.

Natasha Cox, a former Hampstead School student who lives in Hampstead, says she is struggling to maintain her independent life because of the bureaucracy surrounding “direct payments”.

The 32-year-old has received benefits paid into a bank account since 2007 and uses the money to hire carers and pay for anything that improves her health and state of mind.

But Camden Council has sent an unitemised invoice saying she owes them £842.22 as some of the payments were spent inappropriately.

“I am petrified at the moment,” Ms Cox said. “I am trying to get on with my life and live independently but I am constantly reminded of my disability by all these forms and threatening letters from the council.”

Ms Cox said friends often helped her with her day-to-day care needs, such as shopping or going to the theatre, but would not ask for money so she would buy them a coffee or pay for their petrol if they had driven her somewhere.

Ms Cox has suffered brain damage, left-sided hemiplegia and epilepsy since a blood vessel burst in her head when she was 17.

Last November, her bank statements were assessed by officials, who say she had made a series of questionable payments, more than £500 in cash withdrawals, £10 on petrol and £182 on “coffee and food” during the course of the year.

The council has moved her onto a “managed payroll” system, where care payments are controlled by a new organisation called Personalised Support in Camden.

PSIC replaced Disability in Camden (DISC), which was dissolved last year after an audit found £277,000 missing from its accounts. 

Despite a police investigation being launched last year, the money was never recovered. 

A letter to the council from disability charity WinVisible, based in Kentish Town, said: “Ms Cox is especially upset because PSIC employs ex-DISC staff, where £277,000 went missing.

“Ms Cox wants, and needs to remain on, the direct payments system as she has severe brain damage and would find learning and administering a whole new system too difficult and stressful to take on.”

The council did not respond to the letter, sent in March. 

But this week, responding to the New Journal, social care chief Councillor Sally Gimson said she had asked officers to look into the case. 

She added: “Direct payments are a good way to provide people with personal choice about the care services they receive. All residents using direct payments sign an agreement that they will only use funds for costs related to their care and to confirm their willingness and ability to manage the payments process. In rare cases where money is spent on other things, then the council may seek to reclaim these funds.”