Jersey care users and providers react to proposed standard hourly rate for domiciliary care

  • ITV Channel's Katya Fowler speaks to care providers and users about how they believe rate changes will affect them.

Jersey Ministers are proposing a new standard hourly rate for domiciliary care, following an independent market review.

With an ageing population and the number of people needing long-term care rising, ministers want to introduce the hourly rate from 1 January 2025.

Under proposals, the rate will be £34.80 with ancillary rates concerning care that is not covered.

Social Security Minister Deputy Lyndsay Feltham says the government has taken a "very common sense" approach.

She adds: "I know that some in the care sector have been waiting for this.

"They've been waiting for the packages that we pay to be level and equal and fair, but I hope that we can all work together to provide the type of care packages that our community needs."

However, it may mean some businesses will take a financial hit if their current standard rate is higher than the change, and some residents are concerned about the future of their care.

Ministers say they will engage with the care sector over the next few months to agree the details of how proposals will be implemented. Credit: ITV Channel

95-year-old John Rae says his age and disability prevent him from being completely independent.

He explains: "It's very important because [carers] help me a lot - dressing and undressing and things like that. They are very good."John has paid for carers for years through the long-term care fund, but the company he uses is charging more than the standard rate being introduced.

His son, Marcus, explains: "The only downside we found is the time it took to find a care provider that could work at the rate that they were offering.

"He's not going anywhere in a hurry, so it will be a bit of a stretch to finance the long-term care."

To support existing claimants, ongoing care packages charged above the new standard rate will be honoured based on current fee rates for up to 2 years.

Some care providers, such as Adam Chamberlain from Orchid Care, says the two-year gap gives them time to find a workable solution.

Adam says: "It's a case of 'let's see what we can do'. We need to work with this.

"We need to understand the realities - increasing numbers of people living longer - and the public budget cannot support all the care that's needed so we need to innovate."

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