Adult social care charging changes consultation

Consultation started: 27 January 2020
Consultation closed: 20 April 2020

Changes to how we charge for adult social care will be introduced gradually over the next 12 months (at the point that each person will have their next financial reassessment), after going through Social Care Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Executive, the Equality Forum and consultation.

View or download the results of the consultation (PDF).

Most of the councils in the region have already undertaken the main changes that we will now be implementing. These are:

• introduce an annual fee for managing ongoing care and support services for self-funders
• carry out a financial assessment for people who are to receive a one-off direct payment
• recover the actual cost of pet care
• reduce the Minimum Income Guarantee to be in line with the minimum amount set by central government
• take into account the Higher Rate of Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance as part of the financial assessment calculations
• increase the amount of Disability Related Expenditure to £29 per week for those in receipt of higher rate disability benefits
• introduce an interim funding arrangement for those people who are in the process of arranging a Deferred Payment Agreement but, for whatever reason, have not yet been able to make one
• self-funders permanently living at a care home will no longer be eligible for the 12-week disregard period if they no longer have enough money to pay the full cost of their care from their income and savings
• those with additional properties that are not their main residence would not be entitled to a 12-week disregard for their additional properties

We will continue to provide services to carers directly to meet their identified needs and will not introduce a charge for this.

Those in employment will not have their wages taken into account during their financial assessments, only the benefits they receive.

Even though we're allowed to take war pensions into consideration, we will continue to honour our support of ex-armed forces personnel and will not be taking into account war pensions in financial assessments. This was one of the main recommendations from the Social Care Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Due to COVID-19 and to help mitigate any impact of these changes, their introduction has already been delayed by three months. Also, if any financial assessment results in an increase of more than £40 per week, we will inform the customer of the new charge, but it will not be implemented for six months. Others will be treated on a case by case basis and discretion applied.

View the Adult Social Care Charging Policy.