Paying for adult social care services

Most people have to pay something towards the cost of their care and support.

How much will my care cost?

To understand how much your care will cost, our team will need to:

  1. Complete a care assessment with you. The care assessment is to see if you can get support and what type of support would be best for you.
  2. If we find that you need care and support services, we'll complete a financial assessment using information that you have already given us alongside information that the Department of Work and Pensions holds. Alternatively, you can request a financial assessment form which you'll need to complete and return.
  3. Your information will be checked against information held by the Department of Work and Pensions and our Revenues and Benefits Service.
  4. We'll look at how much money you have coming in, and going out, to work out how much you may need to pay towards your care. We'll also look at what help we can give you towards the cost of your care.

After receiving your financial assessment, we'll send you a letter telling you:

  • The results of your financial assessment
  • What to do next if the information we have used to work out your weekly contribution is incorrect 
  • The date you’ll need to start paying
  • How much you'll need to pay every week
  • How to pay
  • What support you'll get from us. Find out about personal budgets
  • If you could be entitled to any extra income, and what you can do to apply for it

You can get an idea of how much you might have to contribute towards the cost of your care and submit relevant evidence for your financial assessment by using our online calculator. Calculate your contribution

You may also be eligible to receive part-funding from the NHS through their continuing healthcare package. You'll need to speak to your GP to start the application process. More about NHS continuing healthcare support.

What if I don't want to tell you about my financial affairs?

If you choose not to tell us about your money and income, we won't be able to help you with the cost of any care and support you may get. We may also be unable to give you any advice about any benefits that you might be able to claim.

If at some point you change your mind and decide that you do want to tell us the details about your money and income, then you can contact us using the details on this page for a financial assessment.

Do savings affect how much I pay?

Yes. If you have more than £23,250 in savings, you'll pay the full cost for care services.

We can still give you advice on the range of services available in the borough and how to access support for yourself.

Any savings between £14,250 and £23,250 will be taken into account when we decide how much you'll have to pay. A weekly tariff of £1 will apply to every £250 you have above £14,250.

We'll only look at your income and savings, we won't include any money that isn't in your name. If you have shared money, for example, benefits or savings in joint names, we'll only include half of this money.

Does the value of my home affect how much I pay?

We won’t include the value of your home if you're to remain living in it or other people live there, for example:

  • Your spouse or partner
  • Your estranged or divorced partner if they're a lone parent with a dependent child
  • A relative who is aged over 60 or incapacitated
  • Your child is under the age of 18

We will look at the value of your home if you're moving into a residential or nursing care home and don't meet any of the above criteria.

This doesn't mean you'll have to sell your home straight away as you could be eligible for the deferred payment scheme.

What if I have additional expenses due to my disability?

If you need to spend money on items and services to help you manage your disability or long-term health condition, you may be able to have these costs included in your financial assessment.

Is any of my income protected?

We'll make sure that you're left with at least:

  • £159.40 per week for people of working age
  • £188.74 per week for people in receipt of the Enhanced Disability Premium or the Limited Capacity to Work Related activity element of universal credit
  • £228.70 per week for people of pension age

If you live in a residential care home we'll make sure you are left with at least £30.15 per week.

What if I can't manage my own money?

If you can't manage your money there is help available to make things easier for you.

How do I pay towards my care and support?

To pay for your care and support services, you'll be sent an invoice every 4 weeks.

‘Ways to pay’ are explained on the back of each invoice we send you. The simplest way to pay is by Direct Debit, we can help you to set this up.

If you have a cash budget (Direct Payment) account then you, or your nominated or authorised person, will need to make sure that you pay your social care charges into your cash budget bank account.

What if my circumstances change?

If there are any changes to your financial circumstances after your financial assessment has been completed. For example, if your income goes up or down, or there is a change in savings, investments or other assets you must let us know straight away. If you’re not sure whether or not we need to know about a change then you should tell us anyway.

You can let us know by getting in touch with us using the contact details on this page.

What if I'm not happy with my charge?

If you have any concerns, complaints or comments contact our Financial Assessment and Advice Team:

Should I get independent financial advice?

If you'd like to speak to someone about what choices are available to you, there are plenty of sources of financial advice, including charities and independent financial advisers (IFAs). You may have to pay a fee for advice.

We're unable to offer advice or recommend which organisations or IFAs people should approach.

These organisations offer guidance on how to find advice:

How can I arrange for my own care and support?

If you want to arrange your own care, there are plenty of care providers offering services which have been assessed as meeting an acceptable standard of quality by our Commissioning Team. 

 

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