Charging for Non-residential Social Care Services

If you are receiving home care services, including direct payments and supported living services, you may have to contribute towards the cost of these services. Charges are calculated by the Council's Welfare Benefits Team in accordance with the Council's Social Services Charging Policy (see the PDF at the bottom of this page). The policy follows government guidance known as 'Fairer Charging'. 

The amount that you will have to pay will depend on your individual circumstances. The Council's Welfare Benefits Team will carry out a confidential financial assessment to calculate the amount you will be charged.

Charges for people whose savings exceed £22,250 for a single person, or £44,500 for a couple

If you are a single person with savings in excess of £22,250, or you live with a partner and savings held by both you and your partner in either individual or joint names exceeds £44,500, you are not eligible for financial support from the Council for your home care services. If you confirm your savings are over these capital limits you are not required to disclose the total value of your savings or provide proof.

If your care manager believes that either you, or somebody acting on your behalf can manage your home care, you will be given a list of home care providers who are or have been used by the Council and are registered with CSCI (The Commission for Social Care Inspection). You will be asked to make your own arrangements with your chosen provider, and you will pay the provider directly at the rates specified by that provider.
If needed a care manager may help you to set up your services, but you will still be required to pay the provider directly at the rates specified by the provider.

If your care manager believes you are not able to manage your own services, and you do not have anybody who can help you manage your home care services, the Council will arrange your home care and you will be invoiced by the Council for the services arranged.
If the Council is arranging your services, and your savings are over the capital limits, you will be required to sign a statement confirming that you agree to pay for the services provided.

If you are temporarily unable to arrange your own services, for example you are in hospital and need a home care service before you can be discharged, or if you are discharged on to the In House Short Term Support & Rehabilitation Service for a 4 week practical assessment of your social care needs, you will be invoiced by the Council for the services provided, but will be expected to source a home care service, without undue delay, to meet your on-going needs, and then pay the provider directly  at the rate specified by the provider.

If you have savings over the capital limits and the council has agreed to arrange and to invoice you for your home care services, you will be charged as follows:

Service	Charge
Home Care per hour	£14.40
Shopping per service	£11.20
Shopping Plus per service	£12.60

If you require 2 carers at the same time, you will be charged per carer, per visit.
You will be charged from the date your home care service starts.

Please see the PDF leaflet at the bottom of this page for more detailed information.

Charges for people whose savings are less than £22,250 for a single person, or £44,500 for a couple.

If your savings are under these limits the Council's Welfare Benefits Team will complete a financial assessment to work out the maximum weekly charge for your home care services.  If you don't want to disclose your personal finances or you unreasonably delay the completion of a statement of your financial circumstances you will be charged as if you have savings in excess of the capital limits above.

Financial Assessment

If your savings are under the capital limits and you would like a full financial assessment to determine the charge for your home care services, the Council's Welfare Benefits Team will usually arrange to visit you at your home, but if you prefer a statement of your financial circumstances can be completed by post.

You will be asked to provide proof of your income, savings and some items of expenditure such as housing costs and disability-related spending. You will be sent a list of items that you should try to have available for the visit, to make it easier for us to help you.

In brief the calculation compares your weekly income against allowances for your living costs. If your income is greater than these allowances the difference becomes your MAXIMUM weekly charge.

To calculate your weekly income we add together Incomes such as social security benefits and pensions, plus a weekly 'tariff income' assumed from savings over certain limits.

If you are single and your savings are between £13,500 and £22,250, a weekly income will be assumed of £1.00 for every £250 or part of £250 you have over £13,500.  For example, if your savings are £13,500.01 then a weekly income of £1.00 will be assumed.

For couples with savings between £27,000 and £44,500, a weekly income will be assumed of £1.00 for every £250 or part of £250 over £27,000.  For example, if your savings are £27,400 a weekly income of £2.00 will be assumed.

When calculating income, the following are ignored:

Earned income (wages and salaries)

• Night-time elements of Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance (except where night-time care is included in your home care)
• The mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
• The savings credit element of Pensions Credit
• War Pensions

 Your income is then compared against allowances for:

• Living expenses. These currently equals the amount of basic income support /pension credit you would get if you qualified, plus an additional 25%.
• Certain housing costs, not already covered by benefits.
• Disability related expenditure

If your income is greater than these allowances the difference becomes your MAXIMUM weekly charge.  You are then charged at the standard rates up to this maximum amount. The standard rates are:
Home care - £14.40 per hour
Shopping - £11.20 per service
Shopping Plus - £12.60 per service

You will be charged from the first date your home care services start.
If you need 2 carers at the same time you will be charged per carer, per visit up to your  maximum charge.

If you are married, your partner's resources will be included in the financial assessment (unless there are legal restrictions). We will either treat half of your joint income as available to you and compare this against the single person allowance or compare your joint income against the joint allowance.  The method that results in the lowest charge will be used.  Disability related benefits paid in respect of your partner's need will not be included.

Example Home Care Charges Calculations (rates correct until April 2009)

Example 1 (per week).  Single person aged between 25-59.
Income
Income Support	£86.35
Disability Living Allowance (Care)	£44.85
Total Income	£132.20
Allowances
Basic Income Support	£86.35
Plus 25% Buffer	£21.59
Disability Related Expenditure	£30.00
Total Allowances	£137.94

NO CHARGE FOR HOME CARE (i.e. calculation of how much you need to live on is greater than the actual income).

Example 2 (per week).  Single person aged 60 or over.
Income
Retirement Pension	£110.00
Occupational Pension	£20.00
Attendance Allowance	£44.85
Income from Capital of £18,025	£19.00
Total Income	£193.85
Allowances
Basic Pension Credit	£124.05
Plus 25% Buffer	£31.01
Disability Related Expenditure	£22.00
Council Tax	£10.04
Total Allowances	£187.10

MAXIMUM WEEKLY CHARGE FOR HOME CARE = £6.75 (i.e. the difference between Total Income and Total Allowances)

Please see the PDF leaflet at the bottom of this page for more detailed information.

How To Pay

Once the financial assessment has been completed you will be sent a written detailed explanation of how your assessment has been calculated.  You, or the person nominated to deal with your financial affairs, will receive an invoice through the post every 4 weeks.  This will be based on the actual level of service you have received.  Home Care hours will either be logged by phone or recorded on the Home Care Assistants weekly time sheet which you will be asked to check and sign.  It is important that you only sign for the time the carer spends with you.

You can pay your invoice by post, or at a bank or Post Office using the bank giro credit slip attached to the invoice, or at the Council's cash offices (York House, Sheet Street, Windsor or Town Hall, St. Ives Road, Maidenhead). Payment can also be made on -line on the Council's Web site  by selecting pay- on- line.

Complaints

If you are not happy with the amount you have been asked to pay for your home care services, please contact the Welfare Benefits Team.  (Contact details are at the bottom of this page.)  If you are still dissatisfied, a Social Services accountant and a Social Services Care Manager will review the decision.
If the matter is still not resolved you can use the Social Services Complaints Procedure.  The complaints procedure can be used at any time.

Reviews

Social Security Benefits and other items of income and expenditure increase every April so we need to update your financial assessment in line with those changes.  To reduce the number of forms we ask you to complete we will assume your income has changed in line with Social Security Benefits and the Retail Price Index .Once we have updated your assessment  we will write to you.  If you think any of the figures used do not accurately reflect your circumstances, please let the Welfare Benefits Team know immediately.

If your home care charge is determined by a financial assessment, the Welfare Benefits Team will aim to visit you every two years to complete an up-to-date statement of your circumstances.  Your maximum charge will then be adjusted accordingly.

If your financial circumstances change and you think it may effect the charge for your home care service, please let the Welfare Benefits Team  know.  These changes could include:

• New benefits received
• Other changes of more than £5 per week in your income
• Changes of more than £1,000 to the level of your savings
• Changes of more than £5 per week to your expenditure

Please remember to report any changes as soon as possible.  New benefits will most likely increase your home care charge, but this will depend on your individual financial circumstance.  Any increased charge will normally be back-dated to the date the benefit was first paid.  Changes that result in a reduction will normally be implemented only from the date of notification.

Welfare Benefits Advice

The Welfare Benefits Team will also check that you are receiving all the benefits that you are entitled to and help you make any appropriate claims.

Cancellation of Home Care Services

Any cancellations notified with less than 24 hours notice will incur a charge if you pay for your home care service. If you do not require one or more of your scheduled home care calls, you must phone, if your home care is provided by the In House Home Care Service, the Home Care office on 01628 683707 or, if outside of office hours 01628 673739, to inform us 24 hours in advance.

If your home care is provided by another home care provider, please phone them directly if you do not require one or more of your scheduled home care calls.

If less than 24 hours notice is provided, you will usually be charged  for the cost of your scheduled call.

This allows all home care providers to use their staff resources in the most effective manner, thus improving the service for all.

Contacts

For general enquiries about Home Care Services, please contact the Access Team on 01628 683744

If you have a query about an invoice please contact the Finance Team on 01628 683118

The Welfare Benefits Team address is: Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead, Berks. SL6 1RF

The Welfare Benefits Team direct line telephone numbers are:

If your surname begins with A-GI, phone 01628 683113
If your surname begins with GJ-O, phone 01628 683230
If your surname begins with P-Z, phone 01628 683137

or contact the team leader on 01628 683231.

Alternatively you can e-mail the team at:  Welfare.Benefits@rbwm.gov.uk

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Social Services Charging - Documents to Download

Please Social Services Finance Publications to download further documents on our Social Services Charging Policy.  If you would prefer a copy of these documents sent to you in the post, please email us at social.services@RBWM.gov.uk