Issue - meetings

The purpose of this report is to present the outcome of the Adult Social Care Charging Policy consultation, which ran from November to December 2023, following the decision taken by Cabinet in October 2023. to undertake a public consultation on proposed changes to the policy.  The report summarises how the consultation was carried out, the number of responses received, a summary of those responses and the recommended changes to the policy following the public consultation process.

Cabinet RESOLVED to approve the changes to the Adult Social Care charging policy following the completion of the public consultation, specifically to -

(a).   Apply a 10% discretionary enhancement to the minimum income guarantee for those receiving non-residential or nursing care.

(b).   Increase the hourly rate charged for homecare for self-funders from £12.97 per hour to the cost of commissioning care. This is currently £20.50 per hour for contracted services, or £17.50 an hour for spot packages.

(c).   Agree that an annual uplift is applied to the hourly rate charged for homecare in line with the increase given to providers, so that the charge continues to reflect the amount paid to providers on an hourly basis.

(e).   Increase the amount charged to service users if they cannot have a light touch financial assessment, to a new average contribution (£32.52 per week).

(f).    Charge people the full cost of their care if their financial assessment cannot be completed within four weeks. Safeguards will remain in place where this is due to a physical or cognitive impairment.

(g).   Charge homecare service users their client contribution for up to seven days during a hospital admission.

(h).   Charge service users their client contribution for 28 days after being admitted to hospital from a residential or nursing home.

(i).    Agree the changes to the charging policy will be implemented from April 2024 onwards with a two-month minimum transition period to implement the new arrangements.

(j)     Agree that final arrangements for implementation of the policy be delegated to the Corporate Director Care Health & Wellbeing.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 12 February 24

Councillor Neil Nerva (Cabinet Member for Public Health and Adult Social Care) introduced the report, detailing the outcome of the Adult Social Care Charging Policy consultation, which ran from November to December 2023, and the changes recommended for consideration following the completion of that consultation process.

In considering the report Cabinet noted that proposals had been developed as a result of the requirement on the Council to regularly review and update the charging policy to ensure that the service remained sustainable and fit for purpose and was therefore being considered separately to the Council’s main budget setting process.  Whilst aware that the proposed changes would require some clients to pay more for their care services, members were assured that the arrangements for those who were not currently required to pay would continue with the Council also seeking to mitigate, as far as possible the impact of the charges on those clients paying to receive care services.  Members were advised this would include a new financial assessment to determine any new level of charge, recognising that not everyone would be directly impacted, and the Council also seeking to assist clients in maximising their income and taking account of disability related expenditure whilst also disregarding legitimate expenditure wherea person hadlittle orno choiceother than to incur the expenditure in order to maintain independence orquality oflife. Members were also advised of the need to recognise that the changes were being considered at a time when the council was seeking to invest in reablement and other important preventative services to ensure people could remain as independent as possible for as long as possible without requiring adult social care services.

Whilst recognising the challenges and cost pressures identified, given what was felt to be the government’s failure to adequately address and fund adult social care, Cabinet were supportive of the approach outlined in terms of the adoption and implementation of the revised adult social care charging policy.  On the basis these changes were felt to provide greater consistency and fairness and would be linked to the wider aims for adult social care in Brent, whilst also seeking to ensure delivery of the service remained sustainable and focussed on supporting people to remain as independent as possible, Cabinet RESOLVED to approve the changes to the Adult Social Care charging policy following completion of the public consultation, as follows:

(1)    To apply a 10% discretionary enhancement to the minimum income guarantee for those receiving non-residential or nursing care.

(2)    To increase the hourly rate charged for homecare for self-funders from £12.97 per hour to the cost of commissioning care. This is currently £20.50 per hour for contracted services, or £17.50 an hour for spot packages.

(3)    To agree that an annual uplift is applied to the hourly rate charged for homecare in line with the increase given to providers, so that the charge continues to reflect the amount paid to providers on an hourly basis.

(4)    To increase the amount charged to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13