Bolton Council to spend more than £20M on home care services

This comes after the council agreed to sign off a re-tendering agreement worth around £25M for this year to companies providing care for elderly or vulnerable people in their homes.

But the money the council will need to spend is only likely to increase in the years ahead, reaching as much as £30.61M by 2028.

Bolton Council cabinet member for adults, health and wellbeing Cllr Sean Fielding said: “It’s a big contract, starting at more than £20M in the first year, with projected increases of eight per cent per year in how much money is required to fund these services.

“This projected increase in costs comes at a time when the council’s budget is being reduced by the Conservative government.

The funding will help pay for care in people's homes (Image: Newsquest)

“Providing adult care is a statutory service, and one that has disastrous consequences if it’s not done right.”

He added: “As the cost of providing care increases but the council’s budget decreases it means we have less money for other services like filling in potholes and emptying bins.”

In Bolton, the council commissions home and community care for around 1,750 people, which comes to around 20,000 hours of care a week.

Around 1,500 of these people receive the home care element of this and 76 per cent of them are older than 65.

The council predicts that the costs will rise to £26.24M in 2025/26, £28.34M for 2026/27 and £30.61M for 2027/28.

The money will pay for services that help people carry out everyday tasks to help them continue living in their homes.

They will also help people stay active in their communities.

Major opposition spokesperson for adults, health and wellbeing Cllr Andy Morgan said: “Obviously residents needing support and their families would, in the first instance, want to be cared for in their own homes. 

“Demographics show that our elderly population is growing and therefore demand for care is increasing. 

“It is vital that we have a stable and dynamic home care sector to support this growing need and that the staff are being paid appropriately and also supported. 

“It is absolutely right for the council to acknowledge this and make the necessary arrangements for residents to receive appropriate care and that we make the necessary decisions now to meet that aspiration and to support those in need, at home, to live as independently for as long as possible.”

A report put before Bolton Council say that this funding could be critical to helping people stay in their homes.

It said: “Home care services in Bolton provide person­ centred care, that support people to retain or regain their ability to carry out basic tasks of everyday living, or by doing tasks for them if they are unable to do them for themselves.

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“The community based support element of the service refers to support provided outside the person’s home which includes regaining skills and confidence to enable their participation within the community.”

It added: “Older people tell us they want to have choice, control and to be supported to live independently, with access to high quality care when they need it.

“One of Bolton’s key priorities is to support people to Live Well at Home.

“As such home and community ­based support services are an essential element of the support we offer people with eligible care needs.”