Changes to charging arrangements

Overview

The Care Act overhauls over 60 years of adult social care legislation in England and introduces a single legal framework. The Act consolidates existing best practice, as well as placing a number of new duties on Councils in supporting people with care and support needs (whether or not they receive any financial support from the Council towards their care) and their carers. The Council already meets many of the requirements under the Act, but there are some areas that require the Council to review existing arrangements. You can find more information about the Care Act and what we are doing locally to implement these changes on the Council’s Care Act webpage.

This consultation document outlines the Council’s proposals for changes to charging arrangements coming into effect from April 2015:

• Introduction of a Universal Deferred Payments scheme
• Charges for arranging care at home for people who fully fund their own care

Our proposals

We are consulting on the following proposals:

Universal Deferred Payment Scheme – Where someone owns their home and has to fully fund their care home fees, part of their payments can be delayed until their property is sold in the future. The Council is expanding its scheme to allow more people to benefit from it. There will be additional charges introduced to cover the cost of the scheme: a one-off fee of £2,500 and interest on the amount owed. Under a Deferred Payment Agreement, a legal charge is placed on the property as a security for the amount owed to the Council, until this is repaid.

Arranging care for people who fund their own care at home – where someone has financial assets over £35,000 and they can arrange and manage their own care and support, they will have the choice to ask the Council to make their arrangements. In these circumstances, the Council will charge a weekly fee to cover the cost of arranging and managing their care and support. The charge will not apply to people who are not able to make their own arrangements.

Both proposals will affect people who fully fund their own care and support.

Have your say

We have launched a consultation to gather the views of everyone who would like to comment on these proposals. We would particularly like to hear from people aged 75 and over, who own their own home and those who are responsible for fully funding their care.

You can give your views by reading though the charging proposals document below and:

• Completing the online questionnaire

• Complete a paper copy of the questionnaire (available by calling 020 8831 6400 or emailing thecareact@richmond.gov.uk) and send it to: Care Act Charging Consultation, Adult and Community Services Finance Team, Civic Centre, 44 York Street, Twickenham, TW1 3BZ

• Attend the consultation event organised by Healthwatch Richmond on 21 January 2015 from 12.30 – 15:00 at Clarendon Hall, York House, Twickenham, TW1 3BZ. To book a place at the Healthwatch Richmond Consultation Event, please call 020 3178 8784 or email keisha@healthwatchrichmond.co.uk

If you have any questions about this consultation, would prefer this document in a different format or simply need help with completing the questionnaire, please contact the Charging Helpline on 020 8831 6400 or email thecareact@richmond.gov.uk

There is a glossary below that contains explanations of terms that are used throughout this consultation.

Please give us your views by Friday 30 January 2015 when the survey closes.