Issue - items at meetings - Annual Review of Adult Social Care Charging Policy

Report of the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing (copy attached).

(1)       That increased charges for inclusion within the budget 2009/10 package be approved for Cabinet’s agreement.  The recommended maximum charging rates for non residential services for 2009/10 are shown below and are effective from 6^th April 2009.

From                           To:

Home care                 £19 per hour                          £20 per hour

Day care                    £20 per day                           £22 per day   

Transport charge       £1.80 per return journey     £2.00 per rtn journey   

Meals charges           £2.90 per meal                      No Change   

Direct Payments       Actual cost subject to maximum weekly charge

(Note that all of the above services may be provided or funded through Individual Budgets).

(2)       That a maximum weekly charge be agreed for new service users, for non residential services of £850 per week (previously £750).

(3)       That it be agreed that existing service users paying the current maximum rates be protected for one year to a maximum charge of £750 per week (see 3.2.2 – Option A).

(4)       That the maximum weekly charge for in-house residential care of £740.32 be agreed (previously £718.76).

53.1    The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing which recommended the annual uprating of Adult Social Care charging policies for Non-Residential Care including individual budgets and direct payments and the uprating of the full cost charge of the council’s in-house Residential Care Services for the financial year 2009/10 (for copy see minute book).

53.2    The Head of Financial Assessments and Welfare Rights explained that the charging policy was a background policy relating to how people were financially assessed.  Everyone was means tested.  Almost 50% of people did not have to pay at all.  Some people who receive additional disability benefits are required to pay something as their income is higher.  The rates proposed only affect people assessed to pay the maximum charge (about 200 people).  The maximum charges are being increased to reflect the true cost of provision.  If charges should increase significantly for some people an optional clause would provide protection to service users for one year.

53.3    Councillor Mitchell asked how much work was carried out to ensure that people being assessed were claiming all the benefits to which they were entitled.  The Head of Financial Assessments and Welfare Rights replied to say that officers worked jointly with the Department for Work and Pensions and with Housing Benefit staff to ensure that staff were maximising every benefit to which service users were entitled.  The Director of Community Care stressed that a great deal of work was done to raise awareness of this issue.  

53.4    RESOLVED – Having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendations:

(1)       That increased charges for inclusion within the budget 2009/10 package be approved for Cabinet’s agreement.  The recommended maximum charging rates for non residential services for 2009/10 are shown below and are effective from 6^th April 2009.

From                           To:

Home care                 £19 per hour                          £20 per hour

Day care                    £20 per day                           £22 per day   

Transport charge       £1.80 per return journey     £2.00 per rtn journey   

Meals charges           £2.90 per meal                      No Change   

Direct Payments       Actual cost subject to maximum weekly charge

(Note that all of the above services may be provided or funded through Individual Budgets).

(2)  That a maximum weekly charge be agreed for new service users, for non residential services of £850 per week (previously £750).

(3)  That it be agreed that existing service users paying the current maximum rates be protected for one year to a maximum charge of £750 per week (see 3.2.2 – Option A).

            (4)  That the maximum weekly charge for in-house residential care of £740.32 be agreed (previously £718.76).