Camden New Journal -News: Council's double U-Turn

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Camden New Journal - by RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 23 August 2007

Ray Adamson

‘I wouldn’t have been able to pay my bills’

Council’s double u-turn after new journal exposes blunders

A FORMER mayor who had the fright of his life when he was told that he would have to find extra money to pay for his care has been given a reprieve.
Camden Council has backed down from demands that Ray Adamson, 78, pays an extra £50 a week for his lifeline services.
The decision follows front page coverage in the New Journal earlier this year.
Mr Adamson is among 2,000 people that have been means tested to see whether they should pay extra money for care services at home.
He was questioned by assessors over his pension and savings, and was made to explain how much money he spent each week in minute detail – even things like how much he spent replacing crockery in household accidents. The assessors were labelled ‘retirement snoopers’ and accused of trying to raid the savings accounts of Camden’s elderly and most vulnerable.
Mr Adamson, however, was told on Monday that he would not have to pay for his daily care visits to his flat in Gospel Oak.
He said: “There must have been an error in the assessment but this kind of thing would scare people. I didn’t know how I was going to pay. I need those services. We had to keep fighting.”
The retired Labour councillor is registered blind – he feels his way around his home largely by touch – and has difficulty with mobility due to a stroke.
It emerged during April and May that scores of elderly or disabled residents faced similar assessments and demands for cash.
Mr Adamson said: “I had a lot of help from Age Concern with my forms and it was good that it was brought to attention in the New Journal. I wouldn’t have been able to afford to pay more money on top of my rent and bills."

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