Charging
Charging for short term / respite care
Short term / respite care will be charged using the non-residential standard care rate as per guidance for up to 8 weeks of care per annum. During periods of respite, the financial assessment will consider costs from the person’s home, such as household bills. As with all social care costs, the charges will be based on the amount a person has been assessed as being able to pay. If a person has refused or opted out of a financial assessment, they will need to pay the full cost of their stay. Charges for respite will be based on a residential financial assessment.
Charging for support to carers
Where a carer has eligible support needs of their own that are not met through support arrangements for the cared-for person, the Council is required to undertake an assessment and to provide a Personal Budget for the carer. Under the care act the Council has the power to charge carers for support provided via a personal budget direct to the carer.
The Council recognises that informal or family carers are an invaluable source of support for many people. Through their support, carers indirectly save the Council significant money as without their care and support the Council would need to provide the support at a cost. The Council values the role of carers and for this reason does not financially assess or charge carers. Any change to this approach would require a policy update.
Charges for services not received and refunds
A key principle of the Council’s charging policy is that having carried out its duties to ensure charges for support are affordable and fair, payment should be made accordingly. Where planned care services are not used, or, in the case of home care, not cancelled in advance, the services will be deemed to be delivered in accordance with the person’s support plan, and therefore subject to normal charging rules. What this means is that when services are cancelled with appropriate warning and the provider is given sufficient notice, the person won’t be charged for the care service. As a Council, we only charge the cost we incur for services commissioned on behalf of a person, so if the cancellation is made at short notice, then the Council is still liable to pay the provider and therefore the customer will also be charged accordingly.