Mainstream politicians all seem pretty convinced that pensioners are being protected during the period of austerity. Yet, thanks to cuts from the ConDem Government to the Supporting People budget, Salford Council is set to pass on almost half a million pounds worth of those cuts to the city's elderly people living in sheltered housing schemes.
The Council intends to ratify £495,158 of cuts this week, to alarm only sheltered accommodation, and warden controlled sheltered accommodation, including £223,499 to services for over seven hundred elderly people at City West Housing schemes at places like Lawrence Lowry Court, Pennington Close, Queens Close and De Traffords.
City West states in a response to Salford Council that it "will have a massive impact on service and wardens will not be doing the job as they do it now". The company is aiming to `absorb costs' for six months and then charge tenants "with a plan in place to help those struggling to afford this".
Anchor care homes, in line for a £59,634 cut affecting 204 pensioners - at Holly Court, Midfield Court, Ranulph Court, St John's Court, St Clements Court and St Pauls Court is to increase charges by between £20 and £25 a month beginning in April, to keep the same service.
Riverside, which looks after 17 elderly people at Pennine Court, states that there will be a "reduced service level and charges to tenants". The company adds that it has consulted with tenants and their "main concern was the loss of daily morning calls, however when advised that the cost for this service would be passed to them if they wished it to continue, they seemed less keen for it to continue..."
And at Hanover Court, which has forty residents, 14 of the 22 who replied to a consultation voted to reduce the level of service "purely on the grounds of affordability".
While Salix Homes' elderly tenants have got a year's reprieve, Contour states that there will be a "reduced service level and charging" for its residents following the cuts.
A Community Impact Assessment provided by the Council concludes "If services are maintained, there would be a financial impact on tenants who would have to pay for some or all of the service. If services are reduced or lost, the impacts would be more severe as low level prevention and monitoring helps older people remain independent, stay safe, manage their health and reduces social isolation."
"It's more stealth cuts, and confusion sown by multiple providers all responding in different ways" says Paul Gerrard from Salford Against the Cuts "It's just more attacks on the most vulnerable and more elderly people in hospital or worse if this goes through..."
This latest cut of almost £500,000 follows last week's privatisation of social care for elderly and disabled people in Salford (see previous article - click here)
In the run up to the election, did some mainstream politicians say something about protecting pensioners?
* See also: Salford Council must sign Ethical Care Charter to protect vulnerable and low paid - click here
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