A LOCAL authority which has consistently highlighted how government funding overlooks the higher costs of providing services across a large rural area looks set to help shape the reformation of the crisis-hit national social care system.

A meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s executive on Tuesday will hear becoming one of the country’s first five local authorities to take up the Government’s charging reforms programme will place the area’s residents, care providers and council at an advantage over those elsewhere.

At what is expected to be the final meeting of the five-year Tory administration’s leadership ahead of elections next month, officers have recommended the authority becomes one of just five councils nationally to test the government’s Trailblazer programme.

If the county’s participation is approved by the executive, the scheme would introduce measures such as a new £86,000 cap on the amount residents will need to spend on their personal care over their lifetime from January next year, nine months ahead of elsewhere.

In addition, the point at which people become eligible to receive some financial support from their local authority, will rise to £100,000 from the current £23,250.

As a result of the reforms, more people will come into contact with local authorities, either because they would qualify for help with means-tested support extended or because they are progressing towards the cap.

Social care bosses say the changes will have a significant impact on people who receive social care and support, providers as well as councils.

An officers’ report to the executive states Trailblazer authorities will help shape the government social care reform programme, identifying barriers and challenges, such as the higher costs of services in rural areas.

The council has made clear to Whitehall bosses, whilst it welcomes the reforms, it has concerns over the workforce pressures, systems issues and the funding required.

The report states the government’s reforms are “a serious attempt” at creating certainty for individuals, families, councils and care providers on the costs of care.

It states: “If the programme works well and current concerns can be addressed, then early implementation will bring benefits to some North Yorkshire residents and care providers.”

The report adds “it is important to try and help shape the policy and funding allocations at an early stage from rural and diverse economy, housing and care market perspectives.

It concludes with social care staffing issues likely to be as critical, if not worse, in October next as they will be in January, there “might be an advantage in going early rather than waiting to compete in the market with 145 other councils later in 2023”.

The authority’s leader, Councillor Carl Les said the participating in the Trailblazers scheme was among the most significant decisions the administration had faced, and it needed to be made ahead of May’s elections to meet government deadlines.

He said the decision about whether to participate would also be re-examined by North Yorkshire Council after the election.

Coun Les said: “We need to keep reminding the government of the implications of rurality.

“We will be at the leading edge of what’s going to happen in the future. Anything that we can do to understand the financial dymanics going forward is going to be useful because nearly 50 per cent of the council’s budget, a large part of which is paid by the North Yorkshire taxpayer, is now going on adult and children’s social care.”