A range of new or increased charges could be on the way for people in Cambridgeshire who receive care from the county council. A consultation by the county council on the new charges is now online, and there are a number of consultation events, including in Ely on the afternoon of Monday 28 October.

The county council is consulting on five new charges:
1. To change the Minimum Income Guarantee figure used, to the level set by the Department of Health and Social Care. 
2. To include in the financial assessment calculation all rates of Attendence Allowance, the DLA care component and the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment. 
3. To change the way the charge for short-term respite care is calculated, using 'residential' care charging rules.
4. To introduce a new administration fee for those whose social security benefits and finances are managed by the Council acting ast heir DWP corporate appointee. 
5. To charge an annual care arrangement fee to those who can afford the full cost of their own care but have asked the Council to arrange this for them.

Council chiefs hope to raise as much as £3M in income from the proposals.

Some of these charges were proposed in a similar consultation exercise two years ago, and were overwhelmingly rejected by the public. It’s hard to see what’s changed, other than that the county council’s financial position has become even more desperate.

Details of the council’s proposals, and an online survey, can be found  Here 

There are also a number of consultation events, including one on Monday 28 October, 2:00–4:00PM at Ely Community Centre in High Barns.