People who pay for council carers in their home could face an annual price hike of 6% for the next five years, if proposals are approved by senior councillors.

Those attending day care centres could also see costs increase by 20% a year over the next five years.

For those needing home care, and who are judged to be able to afford it, Caerphilly County Borough Council currently charges £15.33 an hour. If the annual increases of 6% are approved, then by 2025/26 the cost per hour would be £20.51.

For attending a session at a day care centre, the rate would be £28.84 by 2026/27, if increases of 20% a year are approved.

Councillors sitting on the local authority’s Social Services Scrutiny Committee considered suggestions from a Task and Finish group, made up of councillors, which was set up to examine the cost of social care.

The Task and Finish group found that Caerphilly Council charged some of the lowest care rates in Wales, when compared with other local authorities. It suggested that charges should increase over a number of years to put them in the middle between the councils which charge the lowest and the highest.

Out of several options presented, the scrutiny committee, which met on November 23, recommended that a 6% increase for home care should be implemented and a 20% increase for day centre care. These recommendations will now go to the council’s cabinet for the final decision.

The report presented to the committee said the increase will not affect most service users.

In September 2019, of the 1,167 service users in the county borough, 216 people were paying full standard charges, these would be affected by an increase in charges.

The maximum weekly charge for non-residential care and support is £100, set by the Welsh Government.

The council maintain the stance that only those who can afford to pay, do pay.

Five councillors voted in favour of the increases, while Cllr Steve Skivens was the only councillor to vote against the proposals.

Cllr Shayne Cook, Cabinet Member for Social Care and Housing added: “These proposals have been supported by Social Services scrutiny committee, but a final decision will be made by the council’s Cabinet in due course.

“I want to add that currently the council is not charging residents for day services since the outbreak of the covid pandemic.”