Issue - meetings

The Council has completed a thirty days consultation on proposed changes.  This report outlines the responses to that consultation, the potential impact on the residents and resulting recommendations taking into account the feedback that has been received from current and future users of Adult Social Care Services.

(i)         that the responses received during the thirty days consultation from 25 April to 27 May 2016 be noted;

(ii)        that approval be given for officers to implement a single charging policy which combines the existing Fairer Charging Policy for housing related support and CRAG related to charging for residential care services;

(iii)       that it be noted that the new charging policy includes residents supported through the Shared Lives scheme under Fairer Charging;

(iv)       that agreement be given to the use of Department Work and Pension (DWP) information to undertake financial assessment for all new customers;

(v)        that approval be given to an average charge of £29.07 for customers in receipt of services and where information cannot be obtained from the DWP, Housing Benefit or Council Tax systems.  The charged will be made from the time that the service commences up until a financial assessment can be completed.

Councillor Hirani, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, introduced the report stating that, in March 2016, Cabinet agreed to consult with current and future recipients of adult social care services on 3 minor changes to the existing charging policy.

Councillor Hirani stated that the proposal for change was as follows:

The introduction of new single charging policy which would include how Adult Social Care will charge for non-residential care and housing related support and residential care service in the future.

Using the Department for Works and Pension benefit entitlement information to undertake the financial assessments in the future

The introduction of an average charge of £29.07 where it has not been possible to undertaken a financial assessment using the DWP information.

Councillor Hirani stated that the council has now completed thirty days consultation on proposed changes. He said that the report outlined the responses to that consultation, the potential impact on the residents and resulting recommendations taking into account the feedback that has been received from current and future users of Adult Social Care Services.

He informed members that a summary of the consultation process and outcomes was included within the report.

RESOLVED:

(i)         that the responses received during the thirty days consultation from 25 April to 27 May 2016 be noted;

(ii)        that approval be given for officers to implement a single charging policy which combined the existing Fairer Charging Policy for housing related support and CRAG related to charging for residential care services;

(iii)       that it be noted that the new charging policy includes residents supported through the Shared Lives scheme under Fairer Charging;

(iv)       that agreement be given to the use of Department Work and Pension (DWP) information to undertake financial assessment for all new customers;

(v)        that approval be given to an average charge of £29.07 for customers in receipt of services and where information cannot be obtained from the DWP, Housing Benefit or Council Tax systems.  The charged would be made from the time that the service commenced up until a financial assessment can be completed.