This policy outlines how Southend on Sea City Council will ensure it takes a fair approach when asking individuals to contribute towards the cost of the care and support they receive. It covers both residential and non-residential care services.
This policy:
- was agreed on by the council on 14 February 2023 and was put into practise on 1 April 2023
- complies with the Care Act 2014 and its associated guidance
- follows the legal requirements and establishes a unified framework for charging for care and support
- replaces the previous charging policy
Southend-on-Sea City Council has a duty to meet the social care needs of people who meet the statutory eligibility criteria as set out in the Care Act. To comply with this duty the Council provides a range of social care services which include the provision of placements in care homes as well as services designed to help people to remain as independent as possible in their own homes.
Where the Council arranges care and support to meet a persons eligible needs, it has the discretionary power to charge that person under Section 14 of the Care Act.
There is a significant cost involved in providing social care and one of the key elements in the overall sustainability of these services in Southend is the income the Council receives from people contributing towards the cost of their care and support. In order to ensure fairness and consistency the Council uses a charging policy for Adult Social Care.
Policy Principles
The overarching principles of this policy are that:
- we will adopt a simple, efficient, cost-effective financial assessment and income collection process
- people will not be charged more than it is reasonably practicable for them to pay based on the regulations set out in the Care Act
- the charging rules will be fair and equitable to reduce variation in the way people are charged
- people will be given clear information about charging and how their contribution has been calculated
- advice on how to claim welfare benefit entitlements will be made available to people and carers
- the charging arrangements will reflect the actual cost of services
- the policy will contribute to the sustainability of Adult Social Care in Southend
Policy Exclusions
There are some circumstances and services which the Council will not charge for. These include:
- people who have been diagnosed as having any form of Creutzfeldt Jacob Disease
- people receiving after‐care services provided under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983
- any service or part of a service which the NHS is under a duty to provide which will include Continuing NHS Health Care and the NHS contribution to registered nursing care
- advice and information provided by the Council about the different types of care and support that are available
- independent advocacy services which enable the person to be part of care and support planning and related processes
- the cost of assessments, including assessment of care and support needs and financial assessments
- community equipment and minor adaptations up the value of £1,000
- intermediate care including reablement, for a period of up to six weeks
- care and support services provided directly to carers to meet their identified support needs