17 February 2010

Pressure mounts over government's free home care plan

'Flawed' Personal Care at Home Bill could be twice as expensive as planned, warn Peers and social care chiefs

The government's plan to provide free home care for people with the highest needs in England and Wales is facing mounting criticism across parliament, local government and the social care sector.

The row over the Personal Care at Home Bill – which will guarantee free personal care for around 280,000 people and provide support for another 130,000 to regain their independence – has dominated the headlines over the past month.

The Bill, which will mostly benefit older people, is intended to be the first step towards establishing a new National Care Service. It was put forward by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and is expected to be a key part of Labour's election campaign. The policy will cost around £670 million a year – with councils expected to provide £250 million through efficiency savings.

However, the plan was criticised in the House of Lords as ‘seriously flawed' and ‘unaffordable', while the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services suggested the cost to local authorities would be closer to £500 million. And over 70 councillors responsible for the provision of social care across England called the plans ‘ill-conceived' in a letter to the Times newspaper.

In January, the Bill passed successfully through the House of Commons, but it must receive backing by the House of Lords to become law. Lord Warner, a leading critic of the Bill, has urged ministers to concentrate on the government's wider review of social care – the green paper 'Shaping the Future of Care Together' – "rather than waste more time on this particular Bill".

David Congdon, Mencap's head of campaigns and policy, welcomed the principles of the Bill as "a step to giving individuals greater independence in their lives". However, he voiced concerns that the proposed efficiency savings were "unrealistic for many local authorities" and could mean cuts to other services for people with a learning disability.

It remains unclear whether the Personal Care at Home Bill will become law before the general election, expected in May.

Read Mencap's response to the Personal Care at Home Bill

Read more about the government's plans to create a new National Care Service