Island households will be asked to contribute an extra 3% in council tax from April to help care for vulnerable adults and the elderly.
As previously reported by Island Echo, council tax on the Isle of Wight is to increase by almost 6% – and the 3% increase for adult social care will go towards an ambitious transformation programme, helping more Islanders to remain at home and receive community-based support.
Changes are already underway and have so far helped towards a 15% increase in people supported to live at home.
Councillor Clare Mosdell, Cabinet member for adult social care has said:
“The care of our vulnerable adults and elderly is an absolute priority for the council, and we have been working tirelessly with the NHS and voluntary and community sectors, to create an adult social care model which is flexible and fit for the future.
“We are building a more tailored approach with a wider range of community based options alongside residential and nursing home care. We are also investing in technology and innovation as we plan for the future.
“We must all remember that our Island’s population is ageing rapidly, especially among those over 80 and who can have multiple long term conditions and need our ongoing care and support. And we also have a duty to support family carers – an increasing number of whom are older themselves.”
Adult social care is responsible for more than a third of the council’s revenue spending – and as well as the three per cent extra in council tax for 2018/19 it is being asked to find £3.8 million of savings.
Among the proposed savings it is planned that all those who receive top ups to their disability benefit which is not means tested will now have the full amount taken into consideration to provide an equitable approach to the system – something which is already done by a number of other councils, including Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth.
The savings include:
• £1.6 million from a review of all residential care packages focusing on complex high cost placements.
• £230,000 from a review and revamp of learning disability residential homes to explore greater independent living.
• £650,000 from a review of all community-based care packages delivered through direct payment.
• £778,700 from changes to the non-residential care charging policy – to be supported by the provision of an exceptional hardship fund.
Cllr Mosdell added:
“These savings are proposed with a heavy heart, but where there are instances of people struggling due to the budget changes, we have set aside exceptional hardship funds to specifically offer protection and support.
“Our new approach for the Island’s adult social care is called ‘Care Close to Home’. It aims to achieve reductions in the rate of permanent admissions into residential and nursing care across all age groups.
“This is linked with better community-based support, greater investment in early help services delivered by the voluntary and community sector, a growth of reablement services provided free to people for up to six weeks after a major operation or accident – and ‘assistive’ technology in the home.”
