Paying for Care

We want to help you live in your own home for as long and as independently as possible.

To do this Adult Social Care has a range of help and support available such as:

• support for you to access community facilities
• home care and personal support - including help with washing and dressing
• services provided through a direct payment
• attending a day centre
• transport provided to take you to and from day centres

If you receive one of these services, you may have to pay towards the cost of it. The rules on how we calculate whether you must pay towards your care and support follow Government legislation to make sure charges are fair and reasonable.

How will you work out if I must pay towards my care?

Once the Financial Assessment Team have been notified that you require care and support, you’ll receive a financial assessment form to complete together with a letter explaining what information you need to provide.

As part of the assessment, we will look at your income, capital and savings as well as any expenditure related to your disability or health condition.

If you have Savings or Capital in excess of £23,250, you will pay the full cost of the care and support you receive. You will also be charged a one-off set up fee and a weekly administration fee.

However, if your savings are between £14,250 and £23,250 then £1 a week will be treated as income for every £250. This is called a “Tariff Income.”

We will assess your income, including any benefits, pensions, and income from investments. We will then consider any allowable expenses, such as Disability Related Expenditure. Finally, we will deduct the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG).

The amount left (your assessable income), is the maximum we will ask you to pay.

What is the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG)?

This is the amount of money you must be allowed to keep to cover your day to day living expenses and the amount is set annually by the Government. There are different amounts depending on your age and the benefits you are receiving.

What do you allow for Disability Related Expenditure (DRE)?

If you have any extra outgoings due to your disability or medical conditions, we may be able to include the costs in your financial assessment. We will need information on how these extra costs relate to your needs and will ask for proof of payment or purchase. If you do not already keep these documents, please start to do so.

Any relevant disability costs will be included as an allowable expenditure when we complete the financial assessment. This ensures that you have money to meet these expenses.

See our page on DRE for more information.

Will my property be taken into account?

While you are living in your home, we will disregard it for the financial assessment.

However, if you own a second property it will be viewed as a capital asset.

What income is taken into account?

Most benefits, including:

• State Retirement Pension
• Employment Support Allowance
• Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit
• certain elements of Universal Credit
• Attendance Allowance
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• the care component of Disability Living Allowance
• the care component of Personal Independence Payments
• Severe Disability Premium paid with your Benefit

Other income such as money from:

• private and occupational pensions
• annuity income
• rental income from property
• maintenance allowance
• also, we include the tariff income

What income is ignored?

Income from any wages or earnings that you receive if you have a job, for couples - your

partners income, and some benefits, such as the:

• mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
• mobility component of Personal Independence Payment
• savings part of Pension Credit

Exemptions

The following adult social care services are not subject to a financial assessment and no charge will be made:

• carers service
• reablement up to the first six weeks and intermediate care
• aids and adaptation equipment - equipment to make looking after yourself simpler and support to help you remain living independently at home
• advocacy

We will not charge you for care in your home if you are:

• diagnosed as suffering with any form of Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease (CJD)
• getting services provided under the Carers and Disabled Act 2000, including accommodation and care to people you care for while you take a carers break.

We will charge for any temporary accommodation and care not in support of a carers break

• subject to Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 where care in your home services are part of your after care
• getting NHS continuing healthcare, living in your own home where the NHS is responsible for meeting all nursing and personal care needs

What if my financial circumstances change?

We will review your financial assessment every year in line with changes to state benefits.

You must inform the council immediately if your financial circumstances change, as this may affect your weekly charge.

What if I do not want to complete a financial assessment?

You can choose not to tell us about your finances, but you will have to pay the full cost for any services that we may provide.

We will ask you to sign the ‘non-disclosure’ page on the Financial Assessment form.

This is to confirm that you do not want a financial assessment and that you will pay the full cost of your care and support.

Is there an appeals process?

All service users have the right to appeal against their financial assessment outcome. If you are concerned about your care charges, contact the Financial Assessments Team on 01702 215008 option 2 within 28 days.

The team is dedicated to supporting service users throughout the charging process.

How can I find out more?

To find out more about your financial assessment or paying for your care you can contact us on:

• contact the Financial Assessments Team on 01702 215008 option 2
• send us an email

If you would like a more detailed leaflet on this subject, please contact us to request a copy of the Financial Assessment Guidance for Care and Support in a Non-Residential Setting.