PEOPLE who use a town's social services will have greater choice under a new "cash for care" scheme.

Middlesbrough Borough Council is introducing a direct payment scheme allowing people to either receive a regular care package from social services or the cash or voucher equivalent to choose a different provider.

Among the beneficiaries will be elderly people who receive home care, costing about £6.80 an hour, and carers who are entitled to several weeks' respite a year.

So far, social services have had 41 inquiries about the scheme and 28 people have taken it up.

Payments are authorised by a community care panel, which helps ensure that people make suitable arrangements.

To meet the increasing demand, the council plans to undertake a pilot project examining how best to support people buying their own care.

Commissioner for Social Services, Councillor Eddie Dryden, said: "This is about giving people who need support to live independently greater control over their lives. Our role is increasingly to provide support and advice for people taking control of their own care packages.

"We've looked at best practice nationally in these activities and discussed what we're doing with groups representing people who use our services.