The consultation closes on December 15th so there is still time to have your say.
We have responded with this:
“Pinpoint have been considering the consultation as it will affect some of our parent carer’s young adults. We felt that the questions below were appropriate to ask at this stage. I’m not sure whether you would be able to answer them now or whether they would need to be put to Committee – please advise. If its not for officers, then can you please advise on how we pose them to Committee – can we register to speak?”
The Consultation says:
Some people will have to pay a bit more for their care. It will be up to £5.50 a week. Around 1300 -1500 some people might have to pay more.
Some people will have to pay more for their care. It will be up to £28.95 a week. Around 1900 –2200 people might have to pay more.
Some people might have to pay both suggested changes 1 and 2. Around 800 –1100 people might have to pay both of these
Most people who use respite care have four weeks a year of care. They might have to pay up to £140 a week more. This will only happen on the weeks when they have a respite care stay. Around 100 -250 people might have to pay more
Charge people for the Council managing their benefits and finances. This is called being an ‘appointee’. We will only charge people who have savings of over £1000. ·It will cost £10 a week for people in residential care. ·It will cost £12.50 a week for people getting care at home. Around 40-100 people might have to pay.
We want to charge a fee each year to people who can afford to pay for the full cost of their care and who have chosen to ask the Council to arrange their care for them. These people are called self-funders. Around 800-1200 people might have to pay. They might pay up to £400 a year to cover the cost to provide this service.
1. To what extent will the new charges affect young disabled adults?
In terms of people in the age range 18 – 25 (care charges only apply from age 18), the only charging policy proposal that will significantly affect this cohort’s level of care client contribution is the inclusion of the full amount of the higher rate of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Care Component or the enhanced rate of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – Daily Living part in the assessment (proposal two).
The Council’s other charging proposals relate only to i) people over pension age (i.e. the minimum income guarantee – proposal one) ii) those people who fund their own care because of high capital levels (proposal five – unlikely to be in the 18 – 25 age group), iii) those who take respite (proposal three – mainly taken by over-pension age clients, but some young disabled adults could also be affected) iv) those clients where the local authority acts as corporate appointee (proposal four – currently very low numbers).
Current Council records indicate that there are 219 Adult Social Care clients in the age range 18 – 25 receiving a Council-funded care package who either receive the higher rate of DLA Care, or the enhanced rate of PIP Daily Living. These individuals may therefore experience an increase in their weekly care client contribution if the Council agrees to the proposal, but there are a number of protections that would apply to people affected by this; including the application of the appropriate level of Minimum Income Guarantee in the financial assessment calculation which is a nationally set Government figure intended to ensure that people are left with a level of income after payment of care charges that is sufficient to cover usual daily living costs in the community and also taking proper account of any disability related expenditure in the financial assessment on an individual basis – based on the application of national guidance, local policy and best practice.
The Council says – However, if it was decided to go ahead with the changes, the Council would make sure that everybody is able to afford to pay towards the cost of their care. We will look at each person’s case.
Fact – Care support budget reductions over the last decade, particularly to support access to the community have meant that disability benefits have played a significant part in mitigating the effects of those reductions for disabled people. The new charging may have a significant role in reducing the ability of disabled people to lead purposeful lives outside their homes.
2. To what extent will this process acknowledge and reflect those reductions as well as the new charges in making a judgement?
The financial assessment itself will consider an individual’s financial and personal circumstances and take these into account, including levels of disability related expenditure as described above, and will also take account of any recent changes to the individual’s care and support plan that might adversely impact on their ability to access the community.
3. What will be the methodology for decision making about individual people affected?
The interpretation and application of statutory guidance, local charging policy and procedure, national association best practice and the use of discretion in certain exceptional cases will form the basis of the Council’s decision making methodology for individual clients affected by the implementation of the charging proposals, if these are agreed by the Council.