Issue - meetings

1.         That the new charging policy for Adult Social Care, set out at Annex 2 of the submitted report, be approved.

2.         That the Deferred Payment Policy and schedule of charges, set out at Annex 4 of the submitted report, be approved

 Reasons for Decisions:

The Council must revise its current Charging and Deferred Payment Policies to meet the requirements of the Care Act 2014. The proposed policies provide an open and transparent framework which will enable people to make informed decisions about how their care and support needs may be met.

The proposals do not significantly change charging for the majority of people currently receiving care and support.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Adult Social Care Select Committee]

From 1 April 2015, local authorities must implement part 1 of the Care Act 2014.Under part 1 of the Act, new rules for charging will apply when a local authority arranges care and support to meet a person’s support needs. These rules include discretionary powers to be determined by local policy.

At the Cabinet meeting on 25 November 2014, it was agreed that the Council would consult on the proposals to revise the charging policy for adult social care services and the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care said that the consultation process had covered five main areas:

·         The power to make a change for putting arrangements in place

·         The percentage of available income taken in charges

·         Treatment of capital

·         Charging Carers

·         Universal Deferred Payment Scheme

The report had summarised the responses to the consultation and set out a new charging policy for adult social care services (Annex 2 to the submitted report) and a new deferred payment policy and schedule of charges (Annex 4 to the submitted report).

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care drew Members attention to the summary of comments from the consultation, as set out in Annex 1.

Referring to the percentage of available income taken in charges, he highlighted the fact that this Council’s current charging policy was to take 80% of the net available income in charges, whilst many neighbouring local authorities took between 90% – 100% of net available income so the recommendation was to increase the percentage of available income taken in charges from the current 80% to 90%.

He confirmed that an Equalities Impact Assessment had been produced for this report and that it detailed the impact of these proposals on residents and service users with protected characteristics.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the new charging policy for Adult Social Care, set out at Annex 2 of the submitted report, be approved..

2.         That the Deferred Payment Policy and schedule of charges, set out at Annex 4 of the submitted report, be approved

 Reasons for Decisions:

The Council must revise its current Charging and Deferred Payment Policies to meet the requirements of the Care Act 2014. The proposed policies provide an open and transparent framework which will enable people to make informed decisions about how their care and support needs may be met.

The proposals do not significantly change charging for the majority of people currently receiving care and support.