58% Price Hike For Isle of Man Private Home Care

People needing private home care in the Isle of Man are being forced to pay an extra 58% for the facility.

The Department of Health and Social Security (DHSS) has increased its fees from £9.50 an hour to £15, claiming it has to keep up with rising costs.

No-one on social security benefits will be affected by the price rise.

A spokesman from the DHSS said there had been no increase last year and that staffing, training and fuel costs had all risen.

He added: “The reason for the increase is that from the year 2000, the price for Home Care has only risen by £2 per hour averaging an increase of 5.5% – last year there was no increase at all.

“Unfortunately, this increase has not kept pace with the rising costs of staffing, training, fuel etc and was being heavily subsidised by the division.

“We are no longer in a position to do this hence the increase. We are still subsidising it to a lesser degree and the price does include travelling expenses.”

The price hike will affect about 127 private care users.

It has sparked concern from more vulnerable members of the Manx community, which has led to the island’s Age Concern charity working with the DHSS and other organisations to try to provide a home help service for £9 an hour.

Penny Creighton MBE, chief executive, said: “I worked in local government for 14 years and I’m very much aware that there’s a lot of demand on the public purse which is why we are hoping to set up a new service.

“There is a group of people in the north of the island to work as home helps for £9 an hour providing services like cleaning, shopping and general help around the house.

“We are working with the woman who runs this group to look at setting up similar ones in the west and south of the island as well as Douglas.

“We will not get any money for the service but they will come under the Age Concern banner and we will help them to get insurance.”