Archive - Tuesday, 27 January 2004


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MS sufferer's fears over charges plan

AN Abergavenny widow with Multiple Sclerosis says planned increases in home care charges by Monmouthshire County Council will cost her 500 % more.

Gillian James has written to the council to object to the proposals, which the council says are in line with National Assembly guidance to provide a new and fairer charging system.

Mrs James, who lives at Pegasus Court, Abergavenny has also spoken to cabinet members of the council who will consider the proposals next week.

She said: "I get five hours' help a week with personal care and that costs me £8 at the moment. But under the new charges it will cost me £40."

Mrs James, a former town councillor, said she had been inundated with people contacting her about the charges.

She said: "Many of them have been in tears because they are so worried about the charges. In my opinion it is making the vulnerable even more vulnerable. My phone has not stopped ringing.

"I think the council should also take into account the plight of people living alone, because we have the same basic outgoings such as council tax, as any couple."

She questioned the council's public consultation exercise and said she only learned about one of the public meetings when she rang someone at County Hall.

A council spokesman said the council was trying to make the charging system for social services fairer, and had conducted a county-wide consultation of all users of homecare and day services.

He added: "The exercise aims to make sure that service users are charged according to their ability to pay."

Social services director Colin Berg said the changes, which will be brought in on April 1, will bring Monmouthshire in line with the rest of Wales and England.

Another user, whose wife is disabled and receives personal care, said a lot of people were worried. The man, who does not want to be named, added: " Currently I pay £15 for home care, under this new system it will cost me £56. We get a good service and you cannot fault the carers, they are excellent, but these charges will force people to pay for a private service."