THE price of home care and support services for the elderly and vulnerable is to rise.
Gateshead Council is bringing in new prices for home and day-care. It means higher costs on face value - but officials say it will be based on an individual's ability to pay.
From April, the charges will rise to £7 an hour for home care and £7 a day for day-care, to a maximum of £44 a week.
Previously, all service users paid £.5.70, plus up to a further £10 a week.
Councillor Gordon Spring, said: "Gateshead Council has tried to keep its charges for home care support as low as possible, for as long as possible.
"However, when the Government called on all local authorities to move towards a means-tested charging policy, this review was necessary.
"Fairer charging will mean that those on lower incomes are exempt from charges."
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