Telecare Charging Consultation

Closed 26 Feb 2017

Opened 25 Nov 2016

Contact

(0208) 356 5110

telecare.consultation@hackney.gov.uk

Overview

Telecare is a service that can help older, disabled, or vulnerable people to live more independent lives. It is made up of three parts:

  • Equipment that monitors people at home (often a pullcord or pendant) and can raise an alarm in an emergency
  • A monitoring service that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can call listed friends and family members, or the response service and emergency services if needed
  • A response service with trained staff who work 24 hours a day and can visit people at home if required.

 

We are proposing to introduce a charge for some Telecare users. Generating income in this way will help to sustain the service, and invest in assistive technology to support people in different ways.

What Changes are Proposed?

Hackney Council is proposing to introduce a charge for Telecare of £5.50 a week, with a reduced rate of £2 per week for clients who receive Pension Credit. This charge would apply to both existing and new users of Telecare.

The reduced charge is proposed because we appreciate that the majority of Telecare clients are older people, and may be less able to pay a full charge.

Residents who receive a package of care from Hackney Council would be excluded from the proposed charges to the Telecare service, and would not need to pay a charge

We are also proposing that, for new users only, a one off start-up fee of £25 will apply.

New users who are being discharged home from hospital would have a free 6 week trial of the service as part of the proposals.

Please read the full Consultation Summary for full details. This can be found in the Related Documents section below.

Why your views matter

In 2016/17, Hackney Council must work with £110m less a year than in 2010, while rising costs and increased demand for services have added a further £42m of expenditure for the Council to find each year. These Central Government funding restrictions mean that the Council has been looking at alternative ways to recover some of the costs of running some services. One of the options is to introduce charges for some of the services that were previously free.

Before making any changes, Hackney Council want to know your views on how this could affect you and the people you know, so we can further understand the impact any potential changes could have on people who use the service.

Events

Areas

  • All Areas

Audiences

  • Community groups/ organisations
  • Staff
  • Residents
  • Carers
  • Expert stakeholders
  • Service users
  • Non-service users
  • Older people
  • People with disabilities

Interests

  • Understanding views
  • Gathering ideas