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Local government leaders have challenged legislation to enable more people to be cared for at home to avoid councils footing the bill. The LGA, through shadow health minister, Stephen O'Brien, tabled amendments to the third reading of the Personal Care at Home Bill to limit the financial contribution by councils. The LGA warned without it, costs would be ‘absolutely crippling'. Councils fear the actual number of people to benefit from the scheme will be significantly higher than official Department of Health (DoH) estimates which admit to ‘inherent uncertainty' in the figures. The Bill, the first stage of the Government's plan to create a national care service, would provide free personal care to those with the highest need at a cost of £670m a year. The DoH will provide £420m, and ministers claimed councils could find the rest through efficiency savings. If the legislation becomes law, the scheme would start from October. But Hampshire CC leader, Ken Thornber, said: ‘As things stand we would have to find between £5m and £10m over and above the £30m we are projected to need in 2011-12.' A DoH spokesperson told The MJ the proposals were based on sound evidence. ‘A total of £670m has been identified to fund free personal care and intensive support at home for the 400,000 people that will benefit from this policy,' they said. ‘It is for councils to decide how best to use the money, in a way which not only delivers efficiencies, but fundamentally reduces people's dependency on services – that's why we are funding 130,000 "reablement" places as part of this. The proposals are based on sound evidence.'

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New concerns over home care Bill costs

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