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Council price hike to 'save' adult care services

Grace Shaw
BBC News Online
Danielle Andrews
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Google Rotherham Council's Riverside House in the town, a red stone building on the right. A red car is parked outside in a disabled space. A Zebra crossing is ahead, before a bridge over the River Don, with two church spires and trees in the distance. A modern office block is on the left of the road.Google
Rotherham's councillors heard that the rises in adult social care are part of the council's wider effort to "maintain quality and availability" of services

The price of care in Rotherham could increase significantly in the next financial year, reflecting "ongoing pressure" in the budget, the council has said.

The fee rises are for various adult services as part of the council's budget proposals, Rotherham Council said.

It reflects "growing demand" for services while keeping them going despite rising costs, it added.

The increases were approved by the council's cabinet on Monday, but will be reviewed at the next full council meeting later this month.

If approved at full council, the main increases, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, would be:

  • The hourly rate for in-home domiciliary care would rise from £19.40 to £25.52 (a 31.5% increase). This is to help with growing costs of in-home support, helping people with daily activities.
  • Day-care services costs would more than double, from £36.60 to £73.50, to ensure services which give "essential support to many vulnerable people" remain available at the same quality, the authority said.
  • Transport fees to day centres will increase slightly, so a return journey will rise from £6.30 to £6.43 (a 2.1% increase).
  • Rothercare (the council's community alarm service) will also see an increase; the weekly fee for alarms would go up from £3.50 to £4.50 (a 28.6% increase).
  • There would be a small increases in residential and respite, with the weekly cost for older people's residential care rising from £708.30 to £722.47, and residential care for people with learning disabilities increasing from £795.30 to £811.21.
  • Respite care for individuals with learning disabilities will also see a small increase, rising from £1,669.30 to £1,702.69 per week.

Councillors heard all the rises are part of the council's wider effort to "maintain quality and availability" of services despite growing demand and rising costs.

Iain Cloke, operations manager for Age UK Rotherham, said price rises are "difficult but reflect the state of the social care and public sector providers".

"Many older people and their carers will be affected by these rises and the wider pressures on older people's livelihoods at this time, including winter fuel pressures, and changes in eligibility for Winter Fuel Allowance," the charity said.

"Age UK is concerned the changes could lead to some people deciding not to pay for care they need, which does not fit in with the focus on prevention that Age UK is calling for."

He said anyone thinking of reducing or stopping care should seek advice first.

The charity added that last year in Rotherham alone, Age UK helped older people access over £2.8m additional welfare benefits to help maintain their livelihoods and independence.

Council leader Chris Read said people living longer was "a good thing" but meant more people needed services "to maintain independence and continue to live in good health longer".

He said the authority had already put aside £17m for adult social care services, most of which, he acknowledged, were received by a "small minority".

"We're glad to be able to provide the services," he said, "but it reflects an ongoing pressure that perhaps people don't see."

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