- News and Media Index
- Exciting changes at Beechtree as we expand across Kent!
- Does the Country Care Enough to Pay a Proper Price for Care?
- Poor jobs response despite high unemployment
- Personal Budgets for Social Care
- Gold Standard Achieved
- Strawberry Fun in the Sun
- Re-registration required to meet new standards
- ISA Barred List
- Beechtree Wins Home Care Business Award
Personal Budgets for Social Care not Suited to Everyone
Beechtree Totalcare were not
surprised to read the recent report from the Audit Commission which claimed
that most councils were struggling to give people their own budgets to spend on
social care. Since the introduction of
the new scheme in 2007 only a small proportion of their clients have moved to
personal budgets.
“We provide home care assistance for clients in the Thanet area of Kent. A significant number of these receive care that is paid for directly by Kent County Council, and this proportion has not really changed over the last three years,” explained Sam West, Director of Beechtree Totalcare. “And among our private clients only about 15% are using personal budgets provided by the council.”
“However this is not necessarily due to a failure on the part of the council to pass on the budgets for personal use. Our experience is that younger adults whose disabilities mean they need regular care help are very happy to take a personal budget and be able to have more control over the choice of carers. But in the main our older clients have not welcomed the change. They are happier having the council manage the budgets for them.”
All councils have a target to provide 30% of eligible people with their own care budget by April 2011. If the experience of Beechtree Totalcare is typical, suggesting low demand from individuals, then this may be a tall order to achieve.
November 2010