A PUBLIC consultation opened at the end of June to seek views on proposed changes by Hampshire County Council on charging for adult social care support.

According to Liz Fairhurst, the county council’s executive member for adult social care, the proposed changes are designed to bring the authority’s paying for care policy into line with other comparable authorities, and to help the county council offset some of the cost of providing support, by charging in a way that is fair and equitable for all those who use its services.

Even if changes to the policy were made following consultation, people who are assessed as being unable to afford to contribute anything toward their care, using criteria set nationally, will continue to receive their care for free.

Mrs Fairhurst said: “The county council’s funding from central Government has roughly halved in recent years, and with ongoing reductions the county council is having to make some difficult decisions about the services we provide and the way we do business. This is requiring us to look at how to deliver services in new and different ways, and to charge for services in a way that is appropriate and fair to help offset some of the cost of providing support to a growing population of older people and adults with complex care needs.

“It is important that the public and those who use the county council’s adult social care support services are asked for their views, and I would encourage as many people as possible to take part.”

Hampshire County Council is asking for people’s views on four proposed changes. These are:

n Charging people for the cost of both of their carers, if they need two carers (‘double up care’) during a home care visit, and they have been financially assessed as being able to afford to pay for both carers. The proposal would apply to new situations where people have a need for a second carer, although the consultation would also ask for views on alternative options;

n Taking into account 100 per cent of a person’s disposable income, rather than 95 per cent, when a financial assessment is carried out to establish how much they can afford to contribute towards the cost of their care, in order to support them to continue living independently at home;

n Charging residents in Hampshire County Council-run residential and nursing homes for periods of absence, in the same way that residents in private sector homes are charged;

n Taking into account income a person receives from letting out their own home, if they choose to do so, when assessing how much they should pay towards their care costs in a residential or nursing home under the county council’s deferred payment scheme. This scheme allows a person to use the value of their home to help pay for residential or nursing care costs, deferring the sale of the property until a later date. This proposal would be for new clients applying for a deferred payment only.

While Hampshire County Council is able to make a charge for adult social care support to help in part, to offset the cost, many key services continue to be provided free of charge in Hampshire.

These include reablement (to help people make the transition back to their own home after a stay in hospital), occupational therapy support, carer support services, items of equipment such as special beds and walking aids, telecare, and prevention services such as falls awareness classes.

Open on June 15, the public consultation continues up to August 26.

To get involved and have your say on the consultation, visit hants.gov.uk/pfc-consultation.