‘A tax on having a disabled child’: Winchester mother fights for funding

A Winchester mother will be taken to court by the council if she doesn’t pay £1,700 towards her deaf daughter’s transport to sixth form.

Christine Wheatley, from Kings Worthy, sends her daughter to a specialist deaf sixth form in Newbury.

Up until the age of 16, she received taxi journeys to and from school through her Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), funded by Hampshire County Council.

Since leaving school and moving to college, this financial support from the council has stopped.

Mrs Wheatley said: “Now the legislation has changed and education is compulsory after 16, I felt very strongly that therefore the funding to allow her to get to that educational placement should remain in place.

“The council are asking for a contribution from me of £1,700.

“I felt that that was a real tax really on having a disabled child.”

Winol’s research found that the annual parental contribution requested by Hampshire County Council each academic year has increased over the last nine years.

For the academic year 2015/2016, regardless of miles, £525 was requested.

For a journey over 10 miles for the academic year 2019/2020, the contribution was £1,330.

This academic year however, parents are being charged £1,791 for a journey over 10 miles.

Hampshire County Council’s website states: “There is no automatic eligibility for Hampshire County Council funded home to school transport after the age of 16.”

Winchester MP Danny Chambers told Winol: “As an MP, I have no control over how Hampshire County Council spends money.

“But we can push for changes in what councils are required to do, and we do push for how councils are funded.”

Mrs Wheatley has received the support of Danny Chambers MP.

She said: “He and the Liberal Democrats on the council have been really supportive.

“He has been great at writing to both the local council and the department for education, raising it as an issue, and I am incredibly relieved that Danny agrees with us that this isn’t a fair situation to put parents of children with special needs in.

“I know that he’s pledged to help me with the next step, to resolve this for Ellie [her daughter], and allow her to keep attending this school.

“I’m just so grateful that he’s willing to join in that fight on our behalf.”

Mrs Wheatley is hoping to have a meeting with the councillors to negotiate, and discuss her issue.