Personal alarms charge set to be introduced by Shropshire Council
Some Shropshire Council residents with personal alarms will have to pay for the technology, under new proposals.
The proposal will be considered by the authority's cabinet next week - and could come into force later this year.
In a statement ahead of the cabinet meeting the council said the charges were being considered 'to secure the future of its telecare services'.
The council has stresses that other 'most other councils' already charge for the service.
Telecare is a range of assistive technology designed to help people continue to live independently in their own homes.
More than 2,000 people currently receive the service for free in Shropshire.
Telecare systems are connected to the Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC), which gives 24/7 immediate assistance in emergencies.
The council is proposing to cover the costs of equipment, monitoring, staffing, and administration at a charge of £3.45 per user a week, with a one-off start-up charge of £35 for new users.
The council says it plans to keep paying for telecare for those assessed as unable to pay, including those with existing social care packages funded by the council.
The proposal follows public consultation earlier in the year, which gave mixed feedback and many respondents raised concerns about affordability and the impact on vulnerable individuals.
The council says it has considered measures to mitigate the concerns including 'financial assessments to determine individuals’ ability to pay', 'benefit checks to maximise income', and 'referrals to relevant agencies for additional support'.
The telecare service would be free for up to six weeks for people being discharged from hospital as part of a reablement process.
Ruth Houghton, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for social care, said: “Charging for telecare has been planned for some time and sadly given the financial situation the Council faces, we have to little choice but to do as most other councils already do and charge for this service.
“We have however listened to public feedback and are seeking as far as possible to mitigate the impact of charging on those who can least afford it and its impact on the health care system.”
The proposal will be considered by the Cabinet on June 11 and if approved, the new charging structure will take effect from October 1.
