CHARITIES have condemned proposals to cut care for thousands of people in North Yorkshire who require help with basic tasks such as washing or preparing meals.

This Tuesday (July 9), North Yorkshire County Council will vote on its latest package of cuts.

They include proposals to stop free care support to those whose needs are assessed as “moderate” and introducing means-testing for services.

The Conservative-led authority says it is being forced to make budget cuts of £92m by March 2015 and a further £66m between 2015 and 2019.

People with moderate needs include those needing support with two or three domestic tasks, such as washing.

It is thought the proposed changes in adult social care would affect about 9,000 existing elderly residents and those with disabilities.

Only those judged to have ‘substantial’ needs, including those at risk of suffering abuse or neglect or those needing support to complete tasks required to maintain a safe environment would receive social care funding.

Age UK North Yorkshire described the proposals as deeply concerning and vowed to scrutinise the proposals.

Paul Fisher, secretary of Hambleton and Richmondshire Older People’s Forums, said it would lead to people waiting until they were at crisis point  until they could get help.

“This is directly against the prevention agenda and it will lead to hospital admissions," he said.

“While there may be savings from the council’s budget, it is not a real saving as it will cost more to have more people in hospital and more to the council to look after people when they leave hospital.”

The county council says 87 per cent of other authorities in England and Wales already intervene only when needs are assessed as substantial.

It will also vote on future means-testing for all community-based social services. Presently most, but not all, are means-tested.

Council chief executive, Richard Flinton, said Government cuts to local government funding left it with “no alternative” but to introduce “significant savings”.

Other savings to be voted on, include reducing the council's £4.4m subsidy of the 20 per cent of commercially unviable bus journeys.

It will also be looking at reducing post-16 transport to schools and colleges by £1.1m.

All proposed cuts will be subject to public consultation.

Mr Flinton said they will continue to work hard to protect frontline services and have already made significant savings in back-office costs and by introducing new ways of working.