Care bills set to rise in Swansea

PEOPLE who receive care in Swansea and can afford to pay for it can expect to see their bills rise.

The hourly charge for home care provided by the council – and by external providers commissioned by the council – is to rise from £17 per hour to £19 per hour in April, subject to approval by cabinet.

Two years ago the hourly cost was £10.20 per hour.

However, people on low income will continue to pay a lower figure or no charge at all – and no-one will pay more than the weekly cap set by the Welsh Government, currently £90.

A report going before cabinet on January 9 said it cost more at present to provide home care than the amount users were being charged for the service.

“The current differential is such that a further increase is unavoidable,” it said.

Carers help hundreds of mainly elderly people in Swansea remain at home by helping them dress, wash and take medication. In many cases they are a lifeline.

The current hourly charge in Swansea is similar to, and in some cases less than, other authorities in South West Wales.

Councils cannot make a profit from providing home care – and the £19 hourly rate for Swansea was first proposed last year.

Cabinet will also be asked to approve a 5% rise in other social service charges, meaning that elderly people in residential care in council-run homes will pay £614.15 per week if they can afford to.

Day centre charges for older people who can afford to pay will also rise to £44.10 per day.

These day centre charges came into force in Swansea in 2018, despite a petition opposing the plans being signed by nearly 4,000 people.

The council received £16.5 million from all social services charges in 2018-19, with residential care the highest contributor at over £11 million.