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Council puts off decision on social care charges

Tracey Campbell A woman and her teenage daughter smiling at the camera. The woman is wearing pink flamingo sunglasses, a dark coloured cardigan and white top. The teenager has shoulder-length curly hair and is wearing a black and orange pattered shirt. There is colourful bunting and banners in the background.Tracey Campbell
Tracey Campbell said she was afraid for her daughter's future if the social care charge proposal is approved

East Renfrewshire Council has deferred a decision on the introduction of non-residential care charges until February.

The council had planned to start charging for elements of care, such as social support and day trips, however, campaigners had called the £20 per hour fees "unfair" and "immoral".

They said the charges could lead to people who relied on support becoming socially isolated.

The council had said it hoped the charges would raise £1.5m to help plug a £12m gap in East Renfrewshire's health and social care partnership (HSCP) budget.

The charges do not affect personal care or services for children.

Non-residential care includes social supports, charges for meals, day opportunities and community-based services.

Tracey Campbell, whose 18-year-old daughter Leia needs 24-hour support, told the BBC earlier this week she was worried about the impact of the charges.

She said Leia receives a self-directed support budget which is "mainly spent on support workers to keep her safe".

Ms Campbell says her daughter, who has Angelman syndrome, relies on trips out and hobbies such as horse riding to avoid social isolation and keep her feeling safe and well.

Leia's condition means she has severe physical and learning disabilities.

Ms Campbell said she feared the new charge would mean her daughter would not be able to pay for the support to be able to continue her hobbies and still be financially independent.

Social isolation

Almost 1,000 people had backed a petition from the Netherlee mum which asked health chiefs in East Renfrewshire to drop the proposed charges.

The petition said: "For my daughter, going to the cinema, shows, and pantomime is not a pastime. It's a lifeline in her battle against social isolation.

"This proposal would potentially strip away 60% of affected individual's disposable income, making it almost impossible for them to participate in much-needed social activities."

Members of the council's cabinet discussed the proposal and agreed to defer the decision until the implications of Wednesday's Scottish government budget were clear.

Council leader Owen O'Donnell said: "This is a proposal that has implications for some of our most vulnerable residents, so we need to ensure that we give it the time and care it deserves.

"While we don't want to give people false hope, it's only right we pause and have all the facts available before we make this difficult decision."

The council said it had spent many years avoiding proposing these charges and it was the only HSCP in Greater Glasgow and Clyde that did not charge for non-residential care.

The proposal will be reconsidered at the next Cabinet meeting on 6 February 2025.