Paying for Adult Social Care

What services do I have to pay for?

You will be charged for most services arranged by the Council. Residential services could include:

• Respite and short-term care in a residential setting
• Residential and Nursing Care Home – permanent placements
• Residential and Nursing Care Home – temporary placements (up to 52 weeks)

How will the amount I have to pay for respite and short-term care be calculated?

If you have a period of respite or short-term residential care and you do not have more than £23,250 in savings and investments, you will be charged a fixed amount for the respite or short-term care. The Council will not contact you to carry out a financial assessment. You will be advised during your social care needs assessment of the amount you will be required to pay.

The fixed amount is based on age-related minimum income amounts set by the Department for Work and Pensions annually. This is because carrying out a full financial assessment would be disproportionate for short term or temporary care arrangements.

If you are having difficulty paying the fixed amount you can request a full financial assessment which will consider your income, savings and any ongoing expenses. You can request this during your social care needs assessment.

How will the amount I have to pay for longer term Residential or Nursing care be calculated?

If you remain in residential care for more than eight weeks, or go into a long-term placement, an assessor from the Financial Assessment and Charging Team will contact you to gather the following:

• Information about your income and savings
• Information about household costs you must pay, such as your mortgage or rent, and costs for Council Tax when you own your own home

The financial assessment will ensure that you retain a basic level of income known as the Personal Expenses Allowance. This will ensure that you have money to spend on personal items, such as clothes and other items that are not part of your care

This information will be used to work out the maximum that you can be expected to pay. The Council will write to you to confirm the outcome and provide you with a copy of your financial assessment.

How do I pay?

You will receive an invoice from your care home advising that payment is now due and giving you options on how to make payment.

You may want to make payment to the home whilst waiting for your financial assessment to be carried out. This will prevent you receiving a backdated bill in the case of any delays. Should you wish to do this you can discuss paying a standard weekly contribution rate with the care home.

If you are having difficulty paying your bills, please discuss this with the care home as soon as possible. The care home will contact the Council to make them aware if necessary.

What happens if I own my own home?

If you are staying permanently in a care home, your property will usually be included in your financial assessment. However, there are some examples where a property may not be included:

• If your property has been continuously lived in by your spouse, civil partner, or partner
• If your property has been continuously lived in by a relative who is aged 60 or over
• If your property has been continuously lived in by a relative under the age of 60 who has a disability

The Council must not include the value of your main or only home for the first 12 weeks of permanent residential care.

If your property is included in the financial assessment, you may be eligible for a Deferred Payment Arrangement.

What is a Deferred Payment?

If you have been assessed as having to pay the full cost of your care, but you cannot pay the full amount because your money is tied up in property, the Council may accept your property as security. You will continue to pay a weekly contribution towards the cost of your care and support based on your income and savings only. The amount you cannot pay will be paid by the Council and a debt will build up, known as a deferred payment. This debt will then have to be paid at a later date, for example, when you sell your property. If you choose a deferred payment, it is important to note that interest and charges will apply.

More information will be provided during your financial assessment if you are eligible for a Deferred Payment.

Do I get a choice about which care home I live in?

If you're paying for your own care, you can choose which care home to live in. If you choose to live in an out of borough care home whilst paying for your own care, you will usually become ordinarily resident in that area. This means that any future requests for support with funding your care and support needs should be made to the local authority where the care home is situated.

If the Council are paying some or all of your care costs, you still have the right to choose your care home, provided that:

• The accommodation is suitable in relation to your assessed needs
• To do so would not cost the local authority more than the amount we usually pay for accommodation of that type
• The accommodation is available
• The provider of the accommodation is willing to enter into a contract with the Council to provide the care on the local authority’s terms and conditions

The Council must ensure at least one accommodation option is available and affordable.

You may still be able to choose alternative options including an out of borough care home or a more expensive setting, where a top-up fee is required, however the top-up will need to be met by a third-party, i.e., a friend or relative. There are some instances when a person can top-up their own care home fees. This will be discussed, if applicable, during the financial assessment.

If you are being discharged from hospital to a care home and your preferred choice is not immediately available, you will not be able to remain in the hospital. You will be transferred to an appropriate care home until your home of choice becomes available.