Social care changes aim to keep residents independent

6 hours ago

Rob TriggShropshire political reporter

News image — The median age of a Shropshire resident is 48 years old - eight years more than the overall figure for England

BBC A woman wearing a red pinny can be seen holding the arm of an elderly man wearing a cream jacket walk down a corridor. He is holding on to a walking stick. — The median age of a Shropshire resident is 48 years old - eight years more than the overall figure for England

Shropshire Council is hoping changes to how it delivers social care will help some of its most vulnerable and elderly residents live more independently and ease the immense pressure on its own budgets.

It has one of the most fragile economic positions of any local authority in the country, having declared a financial emergency last year and putting up council tax by about 9%.

In an update earlier this month, it said that while progress has been made, "significant financial pressure remains".

Now the council is hoping transforming social care can be at least part of the solution.

The council's social care bill has increased sharply over the past decade and now accounts for 71% of its overall budget.

Everything else it has to deliver - from road resurfacing to public transport, libraries, homelessness support and rubbish collections - has to be funded from the remaining 29%.

The Liberal Democrat-run authority said too many residents were reaching out for support only when they were already in crisis or experiencing significant instability.

It hopes that providing earlier assistance and assessments can identify problems before they occur and help people live more independently.

The proposals were agreed by the council's cabinet on Wednesday, which asked for a progress report on the transformation by March.

How could care be transformed?

Shropshire Council wants to put prevention, independence and early support at the forefront of its transformation plan.

Proposals include providing self-funders and unpaid carers with more information and support, as well as helping residents access benefits and debt advice.

The council wants able residents to remain at home for longer, if appropriate care can be provided. It believes this would reduce the number of vulnerable residents escalating into crisis or long-term care.

It will also require much closer working with health providers, housing associations and the voluntary sector.

Up to £4m is to be invested in the changes over the next three financial years. The council has not said how much it expects to save, but a return on that investment would be expected given its poor financial situation.

The councillor responsible for the changes, Ruth Houghton, said they would put "independence, choice and wellbeing at the heart of adult social care".

"Supporting people earlier, helping them recover at home and working closely with communities and partners will improve outcomes for residents and help create a sustainable service," she added.

A woman with fair curly hair and wire-framed glasses stands in a dark jacket in front of a brick wall. — Ruth Houghton said the transformation would be kept under close oversight, and the council would engage with those using social care services.

How will it save residents money?

The council has said that keeping residents in their homes for longer could save individuals and families thousands of pounds a month in care charges, depending on their circumstances.

Domiciliary care, delivered in the home, is often cheaper than residential or nursing home care due to avoiding expensive accommodation fees.

Care homes can cost hundreds or thousands of pounds a week, whereas domiciliary care is typically charged by the hour.

Residents with capital and savings above £23,250, known as self-funders, must pay the full cost of their care. If these residents spend their money at a slower rate by avoiding round-the-clock care, then the council is less likely to take on the cost of providing it.

Why is the council spending so much on care?

The rising cost of delivering social care is one of the reasons why Shropshire Council declared a financial emergency in 2025.

Demand has been growing in recent years in both adult and children's social care, with the average Band D household in 2025-26 contributing about £1,250 to those services.

Without further cost-cutting measures, the financial burden on the council is expected to worsen.

It has already made changes to the way social care is delivered, such as "regretfully" deciding to close day care centres in Ludlow and Shrewsbury earlier this year.

The authority predicts that by 2035, Shropshire's population aged 85 and over will rise by around 54%, increasing demand on services and the complexity of care involved.