Budget proposals include review of charges for adult social care in Hertfordshire
County council chiefs in Hertfordshire are set to review charges for adult social care, as part of a drive to increase income by £10m.
Officials say the authority is facing “unprecedented demand” – driven by the county’s growing and ageing population.
And providing those services in 2026/27 is expected to account for almost half of the county council’s £1.2bn services budget.
The county council as a whole will have to make £55m savings from its services budget, to balance the books in 26/27.
And the draft budget includes proposals to increase the income from the delivery of adult social care services by £10m.
Part of that £10m would be as a result of inflationary increases to existing fees and from the growing number of residents accessing care.
But around £2m, according to the budget document, is expected to come from additional income.
That includes increases that are “over and above standard income inflation” and from a further review of “areas within the remit of the charging policy”.
Leader of the county council, Cllr Steve Jarvis, stresses that those who are not eligible to pay for their care will still be exempt.
He says it is right that those who can, pay a charge that covers the cost of the care that they receive.
But he says that currently the charges do not always cover the cost of the service residents received.
“Many people are required by law to pay the cost of their care,” Cllr Jarvis told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“And it’s important that people who should be making a contribution are making the right contribution.”
Executive member for resources and performance, Cllr Chris Lucas, also stresses that costs will not be increased for or imposed on those that cannot afford them.
But he says residents who can afford it should be paying the “appropriate price”.
According to the budget proposals – which will be considered by the county council next month (February) – the council plans to allocate £563m to adult care services in 2026/7.
That’s £23m more than last year. And, speaking at the latest meeting of the council’s cabinet (January 14), executive member for adult care services Cllr Sally Symington welcomed the budget proposals.
She said the proposals balanced the demands for statutory services with the offer of additional benefits, in particular for the vulnerable.
And she said that, given the financial constraints on the council, the 4.4% increase in adult care spending in the proposals was “really, really, really good news”.
At the meeting, she highlighted the additional £21m allocated to help meet the rising demand and costs of care workers’ pay.
She highlighted an additional £23m allocated to meet the needs of the growing number of older people and adults with disabilities that need support.
And she pointed to further planned investment in the Connect and Prevent programme, designed to enable people to live well in their own homes, as well as further investment in the Carers’ Hub.
In addition, she highlighted planned capital investment in adult care, which includes £12m for two new day centres and a further £75m in accommodation, including supported living and extra care and nursing home facilities.
And she told cabinet members: “Overall, the budget – despite the constraints that we have got – really delivers for older people and adults with disabilities.
“And I’m really, really pleased that we can continue to do that through adult care services.”
Cllr Symington also referenced plans to make a total of £23m savings, of which generating additional income is a part.
And, with regard to the planned review of fees and charges, she later told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We do everything we can to keep the charges as low as possible, while also supporting our care workers.
“And it’s a balance – making sure we are rewarding and attracting the right people to deliver that care with the charges we are making.
“Increases in charges will only be in line with what we are giving to care providers.
“And we don’t charge people more than it costs us to deliver the service.”
Although some people are eligible to pay the full costs of their care, Cllr Symington stressed most will only be eligible to pay part – with some receiving the care without charge.
Overall, according to the draft budget proposals, the council is looking to increase income by a total of £12m.
And, as well as changes to charges for adult social care, it is understood this could include charges for additional services at recycling centres, hiring out fire service training facilities to other organisations or the community use of council-owned buildings.