Contributions for care at home
Contributions for care and support you receive at home or in the community may vary. The amount you will pay will depend on your financial circumstances. This will be decided by the financial assessment our team will complete.
Services you will be charged for
If you use the following services, we will charge you at a specific rate dependent upon your financial circumstances and the fees the council pays for the care.
You will be assessed and advised of the weekly contribution to pay against the total cost of your planned care and support services for the year, rather than the actual cost of services provided each week. You can choose the frequency of your payments which can be yearly up front, calendar monthly, 4-weekly, fortnightly or weekly so that this meets your financial circumstances. You can discuss these payment options with Income Management on 0191 5612471.
This will ensure you know the exact costs you will need to pay rather than the costs fluctuating if your care and support services change. If you receive care infrequently (for example, planned short breaks / respite) then your contribution will be payable at the agreed payment frequency throughout the period of your budget year.
When your services end, we will carry out a reconciliation of your account to work out if you have paid the correct contribution over the year, if you have paid too much then you will be entitled to a refund or if you have paid too little you will be asked to make further payment.
| Service | Charge* |
|---|---|
| Homecare | £21.41 standard per hour |
| Extra care core costs | £40.46 -£43.36 per week |
| Day services half day | Variable dependent upon service |
| Day services full day | Variable dependent upon service |
| Direct payments PA | £14 per hour |
*These charges are subject to annual fluctuations, but costs can be gained direct from each supplier. Alternatively, your adult social care worker can advise of updated costs.
Capital
If you have more than £23,250 (£46,500 for couple assessments) in savings or capital, you will have to pay the full cost of your care. In these circumstances you can arrange your care yourself or you may want to ask the council to arrange your care for you. In that case, there would be an administrative charge applied.
If you have less than £14,250 (£28,500 for couple assessments) in savings or capital, you may not be required to pay towards the cost of your care. However, you may still have to contribute from your income, and this will be identified as part of your financial assessment.
Couples
If you are part of a couple and you fully disclose both of your financial information including capital, we will carry out a 'better off' calculation, this will involve us calculating your contribution as a single person based on income and capital in your name only and half of any jointly owned income and capital. We will also calculate your contribution as a couple based on all of your income and capital whether claimed individually or as a couple and whichever is the lower contribution, this is what you would pay towards your care and support services.
Properties you own
The value of the property you live as your main home will be excluded in the financial assessment. If you own more than one property, then the additional property you own may be taken into account in the financial assessment as a capital asset. If you move into Extra Care or Supported Living, and own a property, the value will usually be included in the financial assessment from the date you move into your new tenancy / property.
Benefit maximisation
The financial assessment we complete with you will also check for potential benefits. If you are entitled to claim extra benefits, we will offer you advice and support you to make the claims, where appropriate.
Allowances and expenditure
You may be entitled to housing allowances for any payments you make towards mortgage, rent or council tax. We will also advise you of the amount of weekly income you will retain from the benefits and income you receive each week to help cover your general living costs. This is called the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) and further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-care-charging-for-local-authorities-2024-to-2025/social-care-charging-for-care-and-support-local-authority-circular.
Disability Related Expenditure
Where any disability benefits are taken into account in the financial assessment, some costs that you may need to pay because of any disabilities you have may be considered as an allowance, this will be discussed in your financial assessment.
Paying for Care and Support at Home
You can pay for the care and support you receive using the following option.
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