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20/07/04 - Thumbs up for home care charging policy

Today, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet received the results of a home care charging review which gave the thumbs up to the charging policy. The policy is both cost effective and in the middle range of national charging rates. Perhaps most importantly, it has raised £4m income in this year alone which has been reinvested in services. This led to some of the lowest ever home care waiting lists and reductions in delayed transfers of care. 

The review showed that 27% of people continue to pay nothing for their care and only 1.5% pay the full price, having been assessed as able to pay. The assessment process includes a benefits check and this has led to hundreds of people receiving additional financial support. County Councillor John Mallinson, Cabinet spokesman for care and social services says, 

"The results from the review show that re-introducing home care charging in Cumbria was the right decision to make. It has enabled the Council to reduce delayed transfers of care from hospitals to an all time low. There are no waiting lists for home care financial packages and we have reinvested the £4m income from home care charging back into services to support vulnerable people." 

If charging for home care had not been re-introduced, the Council would have had to raise the additional £4m through Council tax. That would have meant an additional 3% increase on Council Tax bills this year.