End to free day care for elderly

Oct 31 2007 By Dave Black, The Journal

HOME care charges for hundreds of elderly and disabled people in Northumberland are set to double over the next three years as part of a new savings package which would also end free day care.

The maximum weekly fee for home care – currently paid by around 675 people – will go up from £60 to £120 by 2010 if the latest round of cost-cutting proposals are approved by the county council.

There was anger earlier this year when the charge was increased from £45 to £60, following a warning of a potential £2m overspend on the adult social care budget, at the same time as reductions in some clients’ care packages.

The latest proposals include a move to end free day care, which is currently provided to 2,100 people, and introduce means-tested charges of up to £25/£30 a day. Social services chiefs have launched a consultation exercise to ask elderly and disabled people and their carers for their views on the future of care charges.

Last night, Age Concern Northumberland said the proposals would mean the maximum weekly home care charge soaring by 166% in the space of four years. Campaigns manager Marie McWilliams said: “We understand the county council’s need to increase charges to enable them to continue to provide quality services. However, we are concerned that an increase from £45 in 2006 to £120 by 2010 is too much, too quickly. We would encourage as many older people as possible to respond to the consultation to ensure that their views are heard.”

Bob Pinkerton of Gateshead, regional secretary of the National Pensioners’ Convention, said: “This is ridiculous and I am very unhappy about it. Pensioners only have a certain amount of money and those who have to pay these increased charges will have to do without other things.

“They say the charges are means-tested but that means nothing to me. It is people who have worked all their lives and have a small company pension who are suffering from this sort of thing.”

Yesterday, Northumberland County Council said any new charge for day centre care, as well as the proposed increased fees for home care, would only be paid by people assessed as being able to do so.

It said even if the maximum charge for home care goes up to £120 a week over the next three years, it will still be low compared to many other councils. Over the next two weeks, people who would be affected by the proposed changes will get a letter and explanatory document. They are asked to make their views known by January 21.

Day centre care is currently provided free in Northumberland, apart from meals and transport charges, while home care costs up to £60 a week. The county council says a panel of service users and carers who were consulted last year felt this was unfair to home care users.

It says many day care users won’t have to pay the new charge because they don’t have enough income or savings. In addition, people receiving both home care and day care will be assessed for their ability to pay for both services together. Home care would go up from a maximum £60 a week to £80 in April and then by £20 each year for the next two years after that.

Yesterday, executive member for health and wellbeing, Coun Dorothy Luke, said: “We are keen to hear people’s views on the proposed charges for care. It is important to remember that people would only be charged for home care or day care if they can afford to pay as set out by the Government’s minimum income levels. Our main aim is to ensure that we continue to provide enough support to protect people’s health, safety and dignity.”