A Kirkcaldy man has hit out at Fife Council after claiming to have been charged for home care services that he does not receive.
Alan Smith has received a bill of £3231.25 for 25 weeks of home care, a fee based on estimates the 54-year-old claims are very inaccurate.
Mr Smith, who suffers from hereditary spastic paraplegia and requires a mobility scooter to get around, claims council staff have inflated the number of hours for which he receives care, thus increasing the amount he owes.
The former piano tuner claims that he requires less than four hours of home care each week, with the local authority stating in an invoice that he is to be charged for 11 hours and 45 minutes.
Regarding the letter, he said, “I was disgusted and I wonder how many people are in a similar predicament.
“I’m getting a bill for what the council sees fit and not what services are provided.”
The figure, produced in an invoice for the period from Monday to April 3 next year, has been based on estimates following a dispute between Mr Smith and the council over the number of hours for which he receives treatment.
Mr Smith states that he will only allow for a financial assessment to be carried out when he believes that a satisfactory agreement has been reached on this prior issue, which has left the local authority with no other option than to ask for the £3231 fee.
He added, “I cannot believe that the social work services, who are supposed to be there to support and care for me, are treating me so badly.”
Mr Smith has contacted the Campaign Against Charges and Cuts group, which has represented his case with Fife Council.
Maureen Closs from the group said, “Alan would not have anything like this to pay once an assessment of his income is carried out, but this cannot be done until the hours are agreed.
“Social work say that because he is refusing to co-operate with them, he is to pay for this fictitious service.”
Defending the council’s position, support service manager Bill Leiper said Mr Smith’s contributions could be revised once the necessary details had been provided.
He said, “The time allocated to Mr Smith reflects the care and support services that he has been assessed as requiring.
“Despite a number of communications with Mr Smith regarding this matter, he has not provided the necessary information to allow a financial assessment to be completed.
“He has therefore been issued with an invoice for the full cost of his care and support for the period from October 2010 to March 2011.
“When Mr Smith provides the necessary financial information, we will be able to assess the level of contribution he should be making to his care and support costs.”