PEOPLE depending on day care help in Swindon are going to have to pay more for services.

Swindon Council's ruling cabinet will review current charges and vote on proposed increases at tonight's meeting.

Social Services will have spent £56 million by the end of the financial year in April. Of that, £36 million comes from council tax, Government grants and contributions from partner organisations.

The rest comes from charging those who use the services, such as people in residential homes or receiving day care, and the council needs to make more money to keep the services going.

Head of Swindon Social Services, Keith Skerman, said: "Without sufficient income derived from charging, many services would be unable to continue to be provided to the extent or level as at present, unless other sources of income were significantly increased.

"Raising the existing level of charges by an average three per cent would make a valuable contribution of £12,000 to enabling the council to provide Social Services to as many people as possible.

"Any new scale of charges will need to ensure that they continue to be fair and equitable, being based upon the person's ability to pay."

Mr Skerman said residential home charges are governed by national guidelines, which mean the council has little say over the level of charges.

However, he said: "For adult, non-residential care services the council has discretion as to the extent and level of charges it makes, provided it is compliant with the Fairer Charging policy, introduced in April 2003 and the charges are reasonable. This policy does not apply to children's services."

The policy in Swindon allows for 80 per cent of disposable income to be taken into account for charging purposes.

"This allows people to retain more of their income for personal and living expenses," added Mr Skerman.

Since last July, 750 users of non-residential services have been re-assessed for their ability to pay and 300 homes have been visited by assessors.

"The overall impact on the council's finance is that in a full year income from the service users has increased by £10,000," said Mr Skerman.

But 15 per cent of users have been told they are entitled to more welfare benefits than they have been claiming. One person is now receiving an extra £78 a week.

In April, home care charges will go up from £8.30 an hour to £9 (daytime) and £10.65 an hour to £11 (nights and weekends).

Meals at home will cost £2.75 up from £2.50, while a visit to a day centre (including transport) will rise 5p from 60p.

Michael Litchfield