UK Supreme Court Ends Disability Safeguards, Alarming Charities

The UK Supreme Court has ended a decade-old system of legal protections for disabled people, sparking concern from charities and disability advocates. The ruling came in response to a legal question from Northern Ireland’s attorney general. It removes safeguards known as “deprivation of liberty safeguards,” or Dols. These protections applied to anyone “under continuous supervision and control” and “not free to leave” their home. Dols were part of the Mental Capacity Act. They required annual assessments for individuals in care settings. While the safeguards mostly covered older people with dementia, they also protected children and younger adults with autism, learning disabilities, and brain injuries. Charities warn the decision weakens oversight of care homes and hospitals. The court’s move pushes a little-discussed area of social care regulation into the spotlight.