Services denied as eligibility tightens

Arise in councils tightening their eligibility criteria for adult social care means many older people are struggling to obtain services.

Charity Counsel and Care said a third of councils in England and Wales that responded to a survey had tightened their eligibility criteria in the past year.

It also found vast differences in the maximum weekly charges for support services, ranging from £3.91 to £315.90 a week, among the 33 councils that responded.

Counsel and Care chief executive Stephen Burke said the results reflected the current tensions in the social care system. “The contradiction in care is that while older people are paying higher charges, fewer are getting services,” he said.

● Care Contradictions: Higher Charges and Fewer Services