Unlike health services provided by the NHS, most social care and support services are not free of charge. You are expected to pay for the help you receive.
However, you may be entitled to financial support from the council to help towards your care costs – how much you get is based on the outcome of a financial assessment and the actual cost of the care and support services you receive.
This framework sets out the council’s policies for charging for care and support, and follows the Care and Support Regulations and Statutory Guidance issued by the Government under the Care Act 2014.
These sections:
Legal context and principles of framework
This section sets out the care and support services that the council must provide free of charge, and the services that we choose to provide free of charge.
Care and support services provided free of charge
This section provides an overview of the adult social care services that people are expected to pay for and the policies we use to work out if you are eligible for help with care costs.
Chargeable care and support services
This section sets out the fees we charge to cover our costs for setting up and managing non-residential care and support services (self-funders only), Deferred Payment Agreements and Interim Funding Arrangements.
It also explains how we charge interest on accruing debts for Deferred Payment Agreements and Interim Funding Arrangements.
Administration fees and interest charges
This section sets out how we work with your legally appointed financial representative, or someone who is applying to become your legally appointed representative, if you no longer have the mental capacity to manage your own finances.
Mental capacity to manage finances
Our Care and Support Financial Assessment Policy sets out the national and local rules we use to work out if you are entitled to financial support from the council to help towards the cost of services identified to meet your care and support needs and, if so, how much help you could get. It has been drawn up in accordance with The Care and Support (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014 and the Care and Support Statutory Guidance which are issued under section 17 of the Care Act 2014
If the value of your savings and investments (including your property) is over the government’s upper capital limit you must pay your own care home fees in full. However, if most of your capital is tied up in the value your home, and you would need to sell your home in order to pay your care home fees you may be eligible for a Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA).
A DPA is a kind of loan where the council helps fund your care home fees, allowing you to put off selling your home to a later date. This loan must be repaid in full (plus interest and administration costs) when your property is sold, or from your estate.
An interim funding arrangement is a short term loan to help fund your care home fees if you can’t immediately access your capital assets to pay your care home fees and you aren’t eligible to apply for a Deferred Payment Agreement, for example, if you have lost mental capacity and don’t yet have an authorised legal financial representative.
A person who is applying to become your legal financial representative can apply for an interim funding arrangement to cover your costs while their application is being processed.
Interim funding arrangement policy
You have the right to choose your care home or supported accommodation as long as it meets our criteria. This section sets out that criteria and what happens if your preferred accommodation provider charges more than we would normally pay to meet your eligible care and support needs.
Choice of accommodation and additional payments policy
This section sets out how to appeal if you disagree with the outcome of your financial assessment or our decision regarding an application for a Deferred Payment Agreement or interim funding arrangement.
This section offers information about finding financial information and advice, including finding an independent financial adviser who can explain your long term care funding options and help you make an informed decision.
Finding independent financial information and advice
Appendix A Capital limits schedule
Appendix B Financial Assessment Allowances Schedule
Appendix C Disability Related Expenses Guide
Appendix D Affordability Checker for Couples
Appendix E Information needed for your financial assessment
Appendix F Example care charges calculations
Appendix G Financial assessment appeal request form
Appendix H Assessed Contribution Waiver Request
Appendix I Third party to up agreement
Appendix J Charges for deferred payment and interim funding arrangements
Appendix K Sample deferred payment agreement
Appendix L Deferred Payment Application Form
Appendix M Interim Funding Application Form
Appendix N Deferred payment – interim funding appeal request form
Appendix O Direct Debit Mandate Form
Appendix P Implications of choosing a more expensive care home
Appendix Q Self Funder Charges