SAVAGE” hikes in fees for care services in Warwickshire will see some elderly and disabled people paying nine times more.
The increased charges for day care, transport and replacement carers were approved by Warwickshire County Council’s Conservative cabinet yesterday.
The new charges vary, but the most severe increase for day care will be for people with learning difficulties – rising from last year’s £5.55 per day to £46.74 by April next year.
For physically disabled people, the new charge will be £40.28, and £25.21 for older people.
The changes will save the council £422,000-a-year.
Opposition councillor Sid Tooth (Labour, Nuneaton, Camp Hill) said: “I hesitate to use the term savage, but it must seem savage as you analyse these figures.”
Fares for transport, including bus journeys to and from people’s homes to day centres or hospitals, will rise from £1.33 to between £5.17 and £12.23, depending on distance.
The council will also stop subsidising a free service which provides a replacement carer for elderly people in their own home to enable a regular carer to have a break or holiday.
From April next year, the charge will be between £12 and £14 an hour.
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