Community care charges

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Charges for non-residential services 2013/14

Guidance on financial assessments and charging for some social work services is provided to local authorities by the Scottish Government. Assessment for these services is based on your need for them and not on your ability to pay. 

What services can be charged for?

• Care at home (homecare)

• Community alarms - there is a fixed rate charge of £3 per week

• Day care - there is a £2 per session fixed flat rate charge for day care services for older people and a charge for any meals provided

• Meals at home - community meals are now provided in frozen form to people who are assessed as needing them. You simply indicate the number of meals required each week and these are delivered direct to your home, usually on a fortnightly basis. Payment for meals should be made directly to the supplier (Apetito) on delivery. Apetito can also be contacted direct to provide the service independently. Their telephone number is 01294 551734.

• Respite care -  if you are assessed as requiring respite care and planned respite is subsequently arranged, you will be required to pay a fixed charge regardless of your level of income, as follows:

        Older people 60+ : £121.50 per week
        Adults 25 - 59     : £  78.80 per week
        Adults 18 - 24     : £  63.90 per week

How are charges calculated?

Charges are fixed annually by the Council. A financial assessment based on information provided by you will be undertaken to calculate how much, if anything, you need to pay towards the cost of your service. A charge will only be made if your chargeable income is more than the relevant income threshold for your circumstances.

Some service users will pay nothing and no charge will be more than the actual cost of providing the service. If you are over 65, personal care services will be free. However you may be charged for any non-personal care services. If you are under 65 you may have to pay a charge for all the services you need.

How does the financial assessment operate?

Your assessable income will be your total weekly income, including all benefits apart from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) (Mobility Component), War Widows/Widowers Supplementary Pension, Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit and up to £25.00 of any earned income, which are all completely disregarded.

If you receive the higher rate of Attendance Allowance (AA) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) (Care Component) this will only be included if you receive social work services during the night as well as during the day. Otherwise, only the lower rate of your AA or Middle rate of DLA (care component) will be counted in the financial assessment.

Your chargeable income is arrived at by deducting any eligible housing costs which you have, for example mortgage interest, rent or council tax, from your total assessable income.

The capital value of property which you own and live in is completely disregarded.

Any capital/savings of up to £10,000 is disregarded for all service users. If you have more than this amount and are aged over 60, £1.00 will be added to your assessed income for each band of £500 which you have in excess of £10,000 and if you are aged under 60, £1.00 will be added to your assessed income for each band of £250 in excess of £10,000.

Charging threshold levels

In the main, with the exception of meals, services will be free to:

• individuals over 60 whose weekly chargeable income is £170 or less

• individuals under 60 whose weekly chargeable income is £120 or less

     or

• couples, one of whom is over 60 and weekly chargeable income is £259 or less

• couples under 60 whose weekly chargeable income is £183 or less

Income maximisation

As part of your financial assessment, you will be offered a benefits check in order to identify any additional benefits to which you may be entitled and then you will be offered assistance to make claims.

Do I have to provide information about my finances?

You may choose not to provide us with your financial details, however this will mean that we are unable to undertake a financial assessment and will therefore have to charge you the cost of the services which you receive.

Failure to provide the required information regarding your finances will also mean that we are unable to undertake a benefits check for you, in which case, you may continue to miss out on benefits to which you may be entitled. Failure to provide written proof of financial details will result in charges being applied until information is confirmed.

What if my circumstances change?

Liability to pay charges will be reassessed each year and you will be asked about any changes to your income or savings at that time.

If at any time during the year your circumstances change, it is your responsibility to advise us of this by contacting your care manager or other appropriate member of staff.  If you fail to do so, you may be charged at the wrong rate.

What information is required?

You will need to provide us with:

• basic financial details - including any earned income, benefits, pensions and details where appropriate, or of who deals with your finances if you don't do so yourself

• any savings/capital - details and amounts involved

• housing costs - details and amounts which you pay in rent, mortgage or Council Tax

• declaration - you (or someone representing you) will be asked to sign to confirm that the information you have provided for the financial assessment is complete and correct

 

Contact Information