Essex has today been chosen to test a radical new policy, to give choice and control back to disabled people in Essex.

The Right to Control is a major move towards equality for disabled people. Essex – represented by ECDP, Essex County Council and the local Job Centre Plus – is proud to be one of only eight areas chosen to deliver this national initiative.

We will be testing this policy for two years, with seven other local authorities in England. Together we are known as Trailblazers.

Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Disabled People, said: “Essex will be at the forefront of this innovative approach to delivering services for disabled people. As a Right to Control Trailblazer, Essex will help shape the way it works and help government decide whether the scheme should be rolled out more widely.”

ECDP’s Chief Executive, Mike Adams, said: “For Essex to be one of only 8 areas to be chosen as a Trailblazer site for this exciting initiative is testament to our commitment to enhance the everyday lives of disabled people in Essex.

“We consulted with a wide range of our members to ensure their lived experience and voice shaped the Right to Control. We are thrilled to be able to put what our members said to us into practice, and ensure disabled people fundamentally shape this work in Essex.”

About the Right to Control

The Right to Control is a new policy, which aims to give disabled people more choice over the services they receive, and more control in their own lives.

Being a Trailblazer means we will offer services to disabled people in a different way. Disabled people will be able to make decisions about their own support. Individuals will be able to create a support package based around their need rather than based around what others think they might need. They can choose to:

• Continue using their existing services
• Ask Essex County Council to arrange a more tailored service or to buy equipment that they need, they could develop their support package in unusual ways – as long as it supports their independence and personal goals
• Take a direct cash payment to buy equipment or services, or
• A combination of these options. 

The new approach will apply to a number of services in the local area, so disabled people will be able to combine their support. This is an opportunity to make our services more efficient for disabled people in Essex.

ECDP will spend the next 8–10 months working together with Essex County Council and Jobcentre Plus to plan our Trailblazer. The launch will be at the end of 2010.

You can read more about the Right to Control on the ODI website, including a list of all Trailblazers: www.odi.gov.uk/right-to-control. We will provide regular updates to you over the coming months, keeping you up-to-date on the progress of this exciting new project.

To see what our members said about the Right to Control, please see ECDP’s response to the original Right to Control consultation here: http://www.ecdp.org.uk/home/2009/10/5/right-to-control-consulation-ecdp-response.html

Examples of Right to Control case studies (Word document 26KB)