Cornwall: Home care issues for people in rural areas

Some people living in rural areas are being left without home care packages because providers say they can't recruit enough staff or afford high mileage costs.

More than 80 eligible people in Cornwall currently have no council-funded care, Cornwall Council says.

The authority says it cannot afford to pay more to providers.

Tony Edwards says his mother's care stopped when she moved to live with him in the coastal village of Cawsand.

"In Falmouth she had carers coming in for short visits in the morning and evening to help her wash and dress and make sure she is alright", he said.

"But since moving with us in this small village, although she is eligible for the help, they are struggling to recruit the staff in rural areas and so we've had no helpers or care package in place."

His mother is 86 and has dementia and diabetes, meaning Mr Edwards has had to stop work in order to look after her since she moved in five months ago.

He said: "It's constant, incessant - all day every day. I'm not blaming anybody but it is a shame they can't recruit the staff".

Phil Hartley, owner of Hartley Home Care, provides services in Cornwall and Devon, where he says the council pays more for remote carers.

"Devon recognise the cost implications of providing rural care and they now pay a differential rate which is significant - a difference of nearly £4 an hour," he said.

"Whereas in Cornwall there is no differential rate."

Cornwall Council said it does not have "the scale of urban conurbations that Devon has so our contract price reflects the rural nature of Cornwall".

The council added that it works with homecare companies to provide more than 2,800 care packages across Cornwall, and pays the Foundation Living Wage for staff, covering travel times and training.

The government says it's giving councils more than £1 billion of ringfenced money for social care next year.