Helping older people stay in their homes for longer in South Cambridgeshire

A total of £345,000 has been pledged to Mobile Warden Schemes in South Cambridgeshire for the next three years to help more elderly people stay living in their own homes for longer.

The pledge comes after the District Council partnered with Rose Regeneration to undertake an in-depth review of local schemes to understand more about how much it costs to run them and help them become more sustainable in the future.

The resulting funding package is affordable and fair for all and will target the funds where they are needed the most.

The District Council has traditionally had an annual budget of £21,000 to support schemes but invested around £300,000 to try and increase the coverage of the service in South Cambridgeshire communities by supporting new schemes to develop.

The review is important as it has taken into consideration predicted high growth in over 65-year-olds over the next 20 years and recognises that with age comes increased risk of deteriorating health, loneliness, and feelings of isolation. 

Councillors have backed a new three-year funding scheme that starts from April 2025. The funding was approved in the District Council’s recent Cabinet meeting.

It ensures funding is in place for existing schemes as well as providing funding for new or expanding schemes so that more residents can be reached. The review and ongoing work has also set out a longer term 10-year plan so schemes will not need to rely so heavily on District Council funding.

Cllr Henry Batchelor, Lead Cabinet Member for Communities for South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “Mobile Warden Schemes are a lifeline for many of our older residents. They provide crucial support, allowing individuals to live independently, comfortably and with dignity in their own homes for as long as possible. By offering daily contact and assistance, these schemes can not only prevent unnecessary hospital visits and stop people needing to go into care homes, but they can also help combat loneliness and frees up much needed hospital beds.. We are hugely proud to support these schemes and are also really pleased at how schemes have worked with us and the charity Rose Regeneration to ensure funding is fair for the future.”

There are currently 16 active Mobile Warden schemes in 49 Parishes funded by  South Cambridgeshire District Council. AGE UK Cambridgeshire and Peterborough run 11 of them, while five are run by local groups.

In addition, there’s also a scheme in Girton funded by the Girton Town Charity.

Mobile Warden schemes provide a vital community-based service with significant benefits – including helping those aged over 65 remain at home instead of going into a care home and supporting them as they return home after a spell in hospital.  They provide reassurance to families who live away from their older relatives, and to the clients themselves who often wouldn’t otherwise get out of the house or talk to anyone for long periods of time.

• Find out more about how to apply for Mobile Warden Scheme grant funding  by visiting our webpage