Issue - meetings

The Care Act 2014 gives local authorities the power to charge for services for care and support and replaces existing provisions under the Council’s Fairer Contribution for Services and Charging for Residential Accommodation Guidance (CRAG). The overarching principle is that people should only be required to pay what they can afford.  People will be entitled to funding from their local authority based on a means-test and some will be entitled to free care. Statutory guidance published by the Department for Health sets out how the local authority should interpret the provisions of the Act.

This report relates to a minor change in the current policy detailing how people are financially assessed in order to establish their financial contribution towards their care.

(i)         that a 30 days consultation period be undertaken on the:

(a)       Implementation of a new Charging Guidance 2016 Policy which brings together the current Fairer Contribution Policy and national guidance for residential care under CRAG.

(b)       Implementation of light touch assessment in accordance with the Care Act 2014

(ii)        that an average charge of £29.07 be made for those customers who are receipt of services.

Councillor Hirani, Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Well-being introduced the report stating that The Care Act 2014 gave local authorities the power to charge for services for care and support and replaced existing provisions under the Council’s Fairer Contribution for Services and Charging for Residential Accommodation Guidance (CRAG). The overarching principle is that people should only be required to pay what they can afford. People would be entitled to funding from their local authority based on a means-test and some would be entitled to free care. Statutory guidance published by the Department for Health set out how the local authority should interpret the provisions of the Act.

Councillor Hirani stated that this report related to a minor change in the current policy detailing how people were financially assessed in order to establish their financial contribution towards their care.

The report set out the consultation process that would need to take place in order to ensure residents are made aware of the potential changes to the policy and process, and to demonstrate the council’s commitment to maintaining current practices with regards to charging for care and support services, but within a new single financial charging policy in accordance with the Care Act 2014.

Councillor Butt, Leader of the Council, stated that consultation would take place for 30 days from 1April 2016 to 1 May 2016.

RESOLVED:-

(i)         that a 30 days consultation period be undertaken on the:

(a)       Implementation of a new Charging Guidance 2016 Policy which brings together the current Fairer Contribution Policy and national guidance for residential care under CRAG.

(b)       Implementation of light touch assessment in accordance with the Care Act 2014;

(ii)        that an average charge of £29.07 be made for those customers who were in receipt of services.