Elderly and sick face storm of cuts to services

Dozens of day centres and residential care homes which have been relied upon by vulnerable people for many years are facing closure as councils look to transform their services in the face of spiralling costs and shrinking budgets.

Many authorities are also withdrawing subsidies from hot meals services, sending the cost of lunch clubs and meals on wheels soaring.

The most savage cuts by far have been approved by Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire, where the authority is withdrawing social care from vulnerable people with “substantial” needs.

Some 8,000 people receiving care in Kirklees will be reassessed, and only those whose needs are deemed “critical” – the highest possible threshold – will continue to receive support.

The move leaves the authority as the only council in the region denying care to residents with substantial needs – classed as those whose life is not endangered by their condition but are unable to carry out the majority of their own care. The council has pushed ahead with the plan despite vociferous protests and a public consultation exercise which revealed huge opposition to the proposals.

One care user wrote: “My husband struggles as it is – he desperately needs a rest from taking care of me. I am safe and well taken care of whilst I’m at day care. There is no way we would cope without this service.”

But Kirklees insists the growing demands of an ageing population combined with its own greatly reduced funds means care can only be offered to those whose life may be endangered without it.

Council leader Mehboob Khan said: “Our aim is to help people avoid the need for more complex and expensive care in the future.

“This is where we are focusing our investment and this is our priority. We will provide support wherever we can to reduce the likelihood of people needing more complex packages of care.

“This will mean people can remain independent in their homes and communities for longer.”

Calderdale Council is also raising its care threshold – but from the lowest possible starting point. The change means 700 people with “low” care needs will no longer receive social care. North East Lincolnshire said its threshold is now under review.

Meanwhile other authorities are looking for new ways to deliver social care in a bid to cut the costs of a service which is becoming ever more expensive as people live increasingly long lives.

Council-run day centres provided by councils for elderly and disabled people are under particular attack, as authorities say they are no longer the most cost-effective way of providing support. At least 12 across the region are earmarked for closure, including six of the 10 operated by Hull Council.

That authority also caused uproar when it revealed plans to close all three of its residential care homes, which provide accommodation and care for the elderly, the infirm and those with serve illnesses such as dementia.

A high profile campaign by relatives of those who would be affected has won a reprieve for one of the homes.

Care homes are also expected to close in Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield and North Lincolnshire, with many more under review across the region as councils push people towards the private sector. Leeds will also close its Crisis Centre giving advice to vulnerable adults.

In York, entire care services are likely to be privatised by the city council to reduce costs.

And in Doncaster, the council has sparked furious protests by ending its warden home visiting service for vulnerable people.

The council says it can provide the same service via Telecare and home alarm systems, but elderly and vulnerable people say they will be left lonely and isolated.

Other social care charges will increase, while hot meal prices will soar for many elderly people as councils withdraw subsidies that have kept services affordable.

In Bradford, for example, the council’s decision to withdraw its £200,000-a-year subsidy means the cost to residents per meal will almost double, from £3 to £5.88.

Keighley and Ilkley MP Kris Hopkins, a former leader of the council, described the cut as an “outrageous targeting of vulnerable elderly people” this week.

North Yorkshire’s meals service will end altogether, with people told to use charities which provide such a service instead.