Council rejects free care curbs

Officials wanted to target the most needy

A council has backed away from moves to tighten the rules covering eligibility for free personal and nursing care.

Highland Council will now seek urgent talks with the Scottish Executive to discuss a cash shortage.

The council had been considering a plan to target those elderly people who are most in need.

More than 75,000 people living north of the border became eligible for free care in July.

Demand has been higher than expected

Until this summer the elderly were entitled to help with their nursing costs but not personal care, which includes washing and dressing.

Personal care charges for those living in their own homes were abolished under legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament in February.

Weekly payments of £145 and £210 respectively were introduced for those in residential and nursing homes.

Highland Council received just over £4m from the Scottish Executive to meet the costs of providing free personal and nursing care in its area.

However, demand has proven to be higher than predicted.

Less urgent cases

The latest figures suggest that the council is likely to be about £300,000 out of pocket unless steps are taken to restrict payments.

Councillors had been asked to approve more stringent criteria for eligibility and introduce a waiting list for less urgent cases.

Other proposals included setting a £145 ceiling for people paying for care in their own homes.

A report by the council's social work director concluded that prioritising cases would mean that those who could afford to pay did not benefit at the expense of those who could not pay.

Councillors will meet again in about six weeks time when they hope to receive a new report clarifying the eligibility criteria.