A proposed increase to fees for Wightcare services — the first rise in 4 years — is to be considered by the Isle of Wight Council’s Cabinet next week.
Due to the rising cost of delivering this vital service, which includes a 24/7 call-out service, mobile responder service and regular welfare calls to check in on people across the Island, it was proposed in the 2022/23 budget to increase charges.
If approved next Thursday (12th May), it would be the first rise since 2018.
Since then, costs to deliver the service have risen dramatically due to increases in the cost of living, the national living wage, inflation and other expenses, coupled with reduced funding from central government. It means the service does not meet its running costs through income and had to be subsidised to the tune of almost £300,000 last year.
Over the next few months, a detailed analysis will be undertaken to review different models that will bring Wightcare back to breakeven from its present annual 36 per cent deficit, securing the long-term viability of this critical service.
The proposed increases are:
- Remote monitoring 24/7: from £29.55 to £33.36. An increase of £3.81 per month.
- Remote monitoring with emergency response service 24/7 (with unlimited call-outs): from £42.23 to £47.66. An increase of £5.43 per month.
- Remote monitoring with emergency response service 24/7 (with unlimited call-outs and equipment): from £48.88 to £55.16. An increase of £6.28 per month.
- Installation fees (a one-off cost) is proposed to increase from £80 to £90.
Depending on the service provided, increases could be as little as 90p per week, or £46.72 over the course of a year.
Councillor Karl Love, Cabinet member for adult social care, said:
“The last thing we want to do is increase the cost of vital care to vulnerable members of our community.
“The service is the only one of its kind on the Island, providing 24-hour support 365 days a year for more than 2,300 local people and their families. It provides peace of mind for those who use it so, in order to retain it, we do need to look at how we charge.
“We haven’t increased the costs for Wightcare since 2018, which was crucial during the pandemic when people may have been further isolated from the support of their family and friends. This has resulted in the service being subsidised from our adult social care budget.
“Given the increasing pressures on adult social care and reducing allocations of funding from central government, continuing to subsidise this service faces real challenges and we must take action to safeguard its future.
“Doing nothing to address the financial gaps is no longer an option. Our resources are limited and as more people need help and support we need to ensure we use those resources in the best possible way to safeguard everyone.”
So less will use service ,if then 3/4 people then become unable to remain at home it will cost more than £300,000 subsidised ?. Our council need to stop waisting our money on illuminated signs, so called intelegent traffic lights, electric fleet of cars, electric post bikes refit of Council chambers etc. The stress and mental health to individuals needs to be considered , cost of living has gone up,but council should not make the less able pay more.
Just think if the F. ck up which is the floating bridge had been properly managed and measured!! How much more of our money would be in the kitty so rises in this section do not happen! Oh wait they say they are winning compensation so maybe that could go back into this part of the Care System… Oh wait we are talking about Isle of Wight Council where Brown envelopes are king and commen sense went out the window years ago!.
The painful but sad truth is that most who need this care have little else to spend their money on.
Most won’t socialise much, drink, holiday, run cars, have children of young years etc etc.
So they can afford to pay more, as the state pays generous disability etc to them.
Likely it is their greedy children moaning, frightened to death that their ‘inheritance’ is being spent on who it ought to be spent on, not them later on.
It needs to pay for itself – the rest of us should not be expected to pay higher taxes for others
Partly agree but one day you or close family will be a user of service, we have to pay tax and I would rather it goes to good causes than the so many rubbish and waste of money ones ,just get rid of those 6 Council staff on £100,000 plus would help.
Remember those words when you or one of your family require such a service as opposed to going into care. Social care should be free to those who have paid taxes all their lives. That is what “national health insurance” taxes was supposed to be for.
Paul – you will note that most using this service are already on benefits, have spent their lives on benefits and continue to be a burden on society and they intend to be from cradle to grave. Wake up will you.
for the record – none of my family have ever used any services like this or been in care – going back many generations. We have always stood on our own two feet, supported ourselves, worked, paid our bills and taxes, as well as looked after our own.
We are all, unfortunately, having to fund the worlds disabled, as well as our own, when it was just those whose parents if not themselves had paid in to the system, then, the system ‘just’ about coped.
Now with the third world waking up to the fact it does not need to wait for aid, but can come legally or illegally direct to the ‘source’ of such, the system is unable to cope.
Care to provide some evidence for that statement?
No, thought not.
Do you always talk out of your arse? To say that “most” people who need care in their old age are just spongers is ignorant at best and plain stupid. I am glad that none of your relatives have never needed any help in their dotage, it must be the most unique family on earth. Or maybe they just never reached a ripe old age? Stupid man.
About time that the administration of the Isle of Wight was merged back with Hampshire. The pathetic IWC ‘administration’ is utterly useless at every single thing they do. So much money paid to heads of departments to just sit around doing nothing. The population of the IoW just does not merit such an expensive administration, let alone such a useless one.
We constantly seem to be paying for council f*** ups it’s not on