Home care fees could rise under cost-saving plans

Assessments will be carried out, as Stockton Borough Council faces an £8.7m budget gap

Some residents may have to pay more for home care, as a council looks at ways to plug an £8.7m black hole.

Stockton Borough Council has approved the removal of the cap on care at home services, meaning people with savings or an income may have to pay up to the full amount.

Assessments will be carried out, with changes proposed to kick in immediately for new clients and implemented in April for existing ones.

Labour's Pauline Beall, cabinet member for adult social care, said: "Nobody will be required to pay more than they are able."

She said all residents who required support would be "individually assessed to work out what they can afford to pay towards their care".

There are 49 residents already receiving care at home and paying the maximum charge, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

If they paid the full cost of their care this would generate an additional £300,000 per year, a council report said.

However, the council has estimated an income of £150,000, as people will be assessed to see what they can afford.

It is part of a package of measures, which the council hopes will raise about £4.6m in the next three years.

Previously, it charged a maximum of £460 per week, which is 60% of the cost of a care home placement.

Conservative Lynn Hall told an adult social care and health select committee meeting she worried people may not use the service due to the higher costs, and called for a review.

She said: "I wouldn't like to think that people are not having the service and the support they need because they feel it's too costly for them.

"That does worry me as we go forward."