Hunts Lib Dem councillors secure better support for care leavers

Liberal Democrat councillors have secured more support for care leavers in Huntingdonshire, further protecting a vulnerable group and helping make Huntingdonshire a fairer place to live.

People with care experience face significant direct and indirect discrimination throughout their lifetimes. Their experiences can have enduring consequences, including poorer mental health outcomes, stigma and prejudice from others, and reduced opportunities in areas such as employment and housing.

Liberal Democrat councillors have worked hard to secure additional support for care leavers at Huntingdonshire District Council to help address these challenges and support vulnerable residents in Huntingdonshire.

While presenting HDC’s new Corporate Plan at a meeting on the 15th July, Lib Dem councillor Nathan Hunt highlighted that the council will be increasing its support for care leavers, by treating care experience as a protected characteristic.

This will increase the support provided to care leavers as the council will have to consider how policies, practice and decisions affect people who have care experience, in the same way that council staff are currently required to consider people with other protected characteristics, such as age or race. The change brings Huntingdonshire in line with other councils in Cambridgeshire and across the country.

This builds on the support that the Lib Dem-led administration already provides care leavers - including support with social housing, access to council tax support, and concessionary access to leisure facilities.

Cllr Nathan Hunt, Executive Councillor for Resident Services and Corporate Performance (Huntingdon East) said: “Liberal Democrats are proud to stand up for vulnerable residents and make Huntingdonshire a fairer place to live. Care leavers experience additional barriers which can make life much harder.”

“This action will help those residents. I'm proud to have secured this change, and I want to thank my colleagues who have helped make this happen.”