York Council proposes care cuts and increased charges

Older and disabled people in York are facing a cuts to respite care services and increased charges as the council tries to claw back a projected overspend of £1.1m in adult social care.

A report to a council meeting next week outlines proposals to cut 200 weeks worth of respite care a year as part of the savings plan. The cut represents a quarter of the councils’ respite care provision.

Officials are also proposing that the council implement plans to increase charges for home care and other non-residential services. Under the proposals, which are expected to net the authority £300,000 a year, it would take into account all of the money disabled people receive in attendance allowance and disability living allowance when calculating charges.

Currently, the council disregards 35% of the total received by service users in disability benefits.

The report also said the council was considering other options to make savings including increasing its eligibility threshold above its current ‘moderate’ level.

York is one of a minority of councils to set a moderate threshold.

Director of housing and adult social services Bill Hodson said the council was facing significant increases in referrals for services related to demographic changes.

He added: “We are looking at areas of non-statutory provision for possible savings and options other than respite care will be explored to ensure service users and carers continue to get the support they need.”

The council’s executive member for housing and social care is due to make a decision on the proposals on 26 January.

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