A young disabled woman was left stunned when she was suddenly presented with a £10,000 bill for her care - after the council neglected to tell her she had to pay for it.
Hannah Broxton-Bell, 27, said she was devastated when the enormous bill arrived from Wirral Council - after receiving care for a multitude of health issues.
Ms Broxton-Bell, from Woodchurch in Wirral, needs daily support after damaging her spine and right leg in a riding accident when she was a teenager.
And after years of receiving the care, she was shocked to receive the £10,000 bill out of the blue from the council.
She explained: "I have received care since 2015 for multiple health problems and mobility - and then on April 28 this year I suddenly got this bill for £10,000 plus for care that I have receieved."
Hannah said she burst in to tears when she got the bill, knowing that she did not have the money to pay it.
Wirral Council have admitted that a mistake was made - namely that Ms Broxton-Bell was not 'made aware' that she was supposed to be paying for her care.
A Wirral Council spokesperson said: “Social care is means tested and we have a duty to ensure that all charges levied are affordable, according to fairer charging policies that are set nationally.
“In a recent case, a person who was receiving a care package was not made aware of their eligibility to pay for this care. As a result of this, we waived outstanding charges and apologised in full for the stress and inconvenience cause by this unexpected bill.
“It is important to point out that in this case, their finances will be reassessed to make absolutely sure that the charge going forward is fair and proportionate and we will work closely with this person to ensure they are able to receive the highest quality care required.”
While Ms Broxton-Bell is relieved that the £10,000 bill has been waived - the authority is still insisting that she must pay £108 a week for her care going forward.
She said this is going to be very difficult, because the only money she brings in is £190 in disability benefits.
In a letter sent by Wirral Council's adult care and health director Graham Hodkinson, to Ms Broxton-Bell's MO Margaret Greenwood, it states that if the 27-year-old 'wishes to continue' receiving the care, 'it will be on the basis of financial assessment and her agreement on the basis of the charge this determines."
