Labour claim that care charges have increased by £740 a year since election

Ahead of the Second Reading of the Care Bill today in the House of Commons the Labour party are saying that responses by local authorities to a Freedom of Information request show that elderly and disabled people are paying almost £740 a year more for vital home care services under the coalition government, than they were in 2010. According to the figures released today by the Shadow Minister for Care and Older People, Liz Kendall. Ms Kendall claims the figures show:

• The average cost of home care has gone up by almost £50 a month since the election
• Charges for meals on wheels have gone up by a fifth
• Community transport charges have almost doubled

These increases mean that the average annual cost for an older person who pays for ten hours home care and receives five meals on wheels a week has increased to £7,900 a year - up almost £740 since 2009-10. There are also huge variations in care charges. Whilst home care is free in Tower Hamlets it costs £20.34 an hour in Cheshire East, with an average of £13.37 an hour across England. In addition, Labour say, many councils have removed limits on how much elderly and disabled people can be charged for home care. Before the election, 60% of all councils capped the weekly cost of care; now only 36% of councils have a cap in place.

Shadow Minister for Care and Older People, Liz Kendall MP, commenting said: "Under this government fewer elderly and disabled people are getting help with their care costs, and more people are being forced to pay more for vital services that help them get up and be washed, dressed and fed. These hikes in care charges are a stealth tax on some of the most vulnerable people in society, and vary widely across the country depending on where people live. Many elderly and disabled people, and families who want to help their loved ones, will really struggle to pay these charges when they are already facing a cost of living crisis."