Agenda item - Adult Social Care Services Charging Policy

Report of the Executive Director of Adult Services (copy attached).

          That with effect from 6^th April 2015

(1)      That the council continues with the current charging policies for residential care and non-residential care services which are compliant with the requirements of Section 17 of the Care Act 2014.

(2)      Where applicable charges continue to apply for preventive services provided under Section 2 of the Care Act.

(3)      That no charge will be made to carers for any direct provision of care and support to them. 

(4)      That an initial fee for setting up Deferred Payment Agreements should be set at £475 plus any additional costs incurred for property valuations.

(5)      That Deferred Payment Agreements are subject to the maximum interest rate as set by the Government and reviewed on an annual basis.  This will be 2.65% from April 2015.

(6)      That the following table of charges are agreed with effect from 6^th April 2015

Maximum Charges               2014/15                Proposed for 2015/16

Means Tested Charges

In-house home care/support       £20.00 per hour                £21 per hour.  

Day Care                                   £30.00 per day                 £34 per day

Maximum weekly charge           £900 per week                  £900 per week       

Fixed Rate Charges

Fixed Rate Transport                 £3.00 per return,              £3.50 per return

Fixed Meal Charge /Day Care    £3.90 per meal,                £4.30 per meal        

Carelink:              £14.50 month – with 2 key holders,               £16.00

                    £17.83 month – with 1 key holder     -            £18.50

                    £22.17 month – with key safe jointly              £22.17 (no change)

Additional telecare devices remain free of charge.

No increase for the mobile phone based service ‘CareLink Anyway’ at

£5 per month for existing CareLink Plus users and

£12 per month for people to have this service alone.

No increase for key safes at £50 per unit.

Introduction

60.1    The Board considered a report of the Executive Director of Adult Services which provided recommendations to uprate maximum and fixed rate charges.  The report was presented by Denise D’Souza.

60.2    The Board was informed that 3400 people were in receipt of these services and a high proportion were not charged.  Some charges were discretionary.  Carers would not be charged.  There was a new responsibility with regard to deferred payments.  An administration fee could be charged and interest could be charged on deferred payments.  The Care Act which would come into effect in April 2015 would bring together all aspects of charging. 

60.3    RESOLVED:

          That with effect from 6^th April 2015

(1)      That the council continues with the current charging policies for residential care and non-residential care services which are compliant with the requirements of Section 17 of the Care Act 2014.

(2)      Where applicable charges continue to apply for preventive services provided under Section 2 of the Care Act.

(3)      That no charge will be made to carers for any direct provision of care and support to them. 

(4)      That an initial fee for setting up Deferred Payment Agreements should be set at £475 plus any additional costs incurred for property valuations.

(5)      That Deferred Payment Agreements are subject to the maximum interest rate as set by the Government and reviewed on an annual basis.  This will be 2.65% from April 2015.

(6)      That the following table of charges are agreed with effect from 6^th April 2015

Maximum Charges               2014/15                Proposed for 2015/16

Means Tested Charges

In-house home care/support       £20.00 per hour                £21 per hour.  

Day Care                                   £30.00 per day                 £34 per day

Maximum weekly charge           £900 per week                  £900 per week       

Fixed Rate Charges

Fixed Rate Transport                 £3.00 per return,              £3.50 per return

Fixed Meal Charge /Day Care    £3.90 per meal,                £4.30 per meal        

Carelink:              £14.50 month – with 2 key holders,               £16.00

                    £17.83 month – with 1 key holder     -            £18.50

                    £22.17 month – with key safe jointly              £22.17 (no change)

Additional telecare devices remain free of charge.

No increase for the mobile phone based service ‘CareLink Anyway’ at

£5 per month for existing CareLink Plus users and

£12 per month for people to have this service alone.

No increase for key safes at £50 per unit.