Council launches consultation on proposals to introduce charges for telecare services
Shropshire Council is inviting residents who access the council’s telecare service, to take part in a public consultation on proposals to introduce a subsidised charge for telecare services.
The consultation launched on Monday 20 January 2025 and is part of the council’s wider plan to meet its savings and respond to the growing challenges in social care.
The proposal includes a weekly charge of £3.45 for both existing and new telecare users. Additionally, a one-off start-up fee of £35.00 is proposed for new users, along with a free six-week trial period as part of a reablement package.
Residents receiving a care package from Shropshire Council or those entitled to after-care services under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act will be exempt from these charges.
Participants can provide their views through various methods, including email, postal mail, local libraries, and Shropshire Local centres.
The consultation will run until 10 March 2025, for further information and to participate in the consultation.
Councils all over the country are under pressure from the rising need and cost of social care services. More so in Shropshire as the county’s older population is growing at a faster rate than the national average.
In Shropshire this accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the council’s overall budget, says the council. Central Government funding restrictions mean that the Council has been looking at alternative ways to recover some of the costs of running some services.
One of the options is to introduce charges for some of the services that were previously free. Around £4 in every £5 the council spends is on social care, looking after the most vulnerable people in the county. More people than ever now need this support, which the council must provide, while costs to do so are rising.
Shropshire currently does not charge any residents for the Telecare service. The typical charge for telecare services in other councils ranges from £1.50 to £19 per week. Introducing a charge in Shropshire would bring the council in line with other areas and help us to recover some of the costs associated with running the telecare service, allowing us to sustain and develop the service.
If the proposed charge is introduced, and all users paid the relevant charge, it is estimated that the council could recover a proportion of the full cost of running the telecare service. Therefore, the charges outlined above would be a contribution to the full cost of the service.
Telecare services enable individuals, including the elderly, disabled, and vulnerable, to signal for assistance when needed. This service includes a base unit and call button, which can be worn as a pendant or wrist strap. The system connects to a response centre that operates 24/7, ensuring help is available at all times.
Councillor Cecilia Motley, cabinet member for adult social care and public health said: “Whist Telecare is a non-statutory service we know that it is an important prevention service that supports individuals to live independently by providing around-the-clock emergency assistance.
“Given the current financial landscape, Shropshire Council is exploring cost recovery measures to ensure the sustainability of this non-statutory offer. This is not about accumulating large sums of revenue but proposing a modest charge like most councils are doing across the country. This will help us to recover some of the costs associated with running the Telecare service, allowing us to sustain and develop the service for our residents.
“The council remains committed to delivering excellent care services and values the input of its residents in shaping the future of Telecare services.
“We therefore urge everyone from Telecare clients, carers, health and social care professionals, and the general public to understand the impact of the proposed charges and to take part in this consultation.”
A consultation has been launched on the potential introduction of charges for local authority day care and community care alarm services from Orkney Islands Council.
