Stroke survivor calls free home care scheme 'transformational'

Since April, a council in east London has taken on the cost of home care for its residents. How has it turned out?

Fifteen years ago, Sam van Rood had a stroke. His wife became his carer but last year, council‑funded carers began providing that support.

Speaking to BBC Politics London, he said: "The help I receive has been really transformational.

"Someone comes in almost every day to give me a hand; just getting dressed, getting ready, so I can get myself out. So it's about giving people independence."

Across the UK, councils help cover the cost of this care if a person has less than £23,250 in savings, but last year Tower Hamlets Council decided to offer this for free.

The care is provided in residents' homes, and covers adult social care provision ranging from personal to practical daily care. It does not apply to residential or nursing placements.

So far the scheme, which the authority estimates costs £4.9m a year, has supported about 1,300 residents.

The council says it is the second in the country to offer this after Hammersmith and Fulham.

Fleur Anderson, the Labour MP for Putney, told Politics London she was "worried about Tower Hamlets' ability to deliver" on the home care scheme.

A spokesperson for the council said it was funded by "careful management" of its finances, through "reducing waste" and "redistributing funds from wealthy parts of the borough such as Canary Wharf".

The council is run by Aspire, a local political party operating in Tower Hamlets set up by its mayor Lutfur Rahman who said: "It's about trying to help the most vulnerable, the infirm, the unwell in our communities and those who are isolated.

"[The scheme] supports people as much as possible at the earliest opportunity, so that we don't have even more burden on the state, on the council, in the NHS later on in life."

He added the council managed its finances "very well" and was a "prudent council", which has "always balanced [its] books".

"This is a top priority for us, to help those who need the support from the council."

"The money is there and we have a healthy reserve too," he added.

Andrew Boff, Conservative London Assembly Member, praised the sentiment behind the scheme but said not all London councils could afford to provide this service.

"Local authorities have got to have the power to be able to innovate and deliver on what their residents want," Boff said.

"It is hard to criticise something which looks after vulnerable elderly people.

"One of the things we have got to do is reduce the costs for local authorities, because adult social care is breaking the back of government finances. It is becoming a real problem."

The council is also piloting a free meals-on-wheels service, which is expected to cost £3m, and currently supports about 80 people.

Cornelia McCarthy, 63, is among them.

She said: "It means everything to me and it is delicious."

This service is due to be extended later this year.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]