Adult social care charging policy

1. Purpose

1.1 This policy sets out how Leicester City Council shall assess the finances of those people who need to pay for their care; both at home and in a residential care setting. All Adult Social Care services are chargeable irrespective of how those services are provided or who provides

1.2 The Council will notify, where it is possible, any changes to how it may charge people in advance.

1.3 The underlying principles of our policy are transparency and the equitable treatment in the application of our charging rules. Charges should reflect a person's ability and their means to pay.

1.4 Leicester City Council understands that people may need help to understand how we might best help them to meet these financial charges.

2. Charging

2.1 Leicester City Council applies charges as outlined in the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014.

2.2 Leicester City Council charges for the costs of paying for care; both at home and in a residential care setting.

2.3 All social care services are chargeable unless:

The service is subject to a flat rate charge rather than a means test
City Council members have taken the decision not to charge for a service
The Council is not permitted to charge for a service when:

It is a service which consists of the provision of community equipment (aids and minor adaptations costing £1,000 or less)
It is intermediate care & reablement services provided for up to the first six weeks of the specified period, or, if the specified period is less than 6 weeks, for that period
A person has Creutzfeldt Jacob disease
Services are provided under s.117 of the Mental Health act 1983
Services provided under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 where the person has refused a Community Care Assessment

3. Benefit advice

3.1 Leicester City Council can provide people with details of advice agencies (available below). These agencies may provide financial benefit advice and assistance. As financial help may be required to understand what may be received towards care costs depending upon income, savings, and assets, like owning property.

Advice agencies

The Money Advice Service
Telephone: 0116 454 1006
Website: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
Office Address: York House, Granby Street, Leicester LE1 6FB

The Highfields Centre (primarily Highfields & St Matthews residents)
Telephone: 0116 253 1053
Website: www.highfieldscentre.ac.uk
Office Address: 96 Melbourne Road, Leicester LE2 0DS

Somali Development Services
Telephone: 0116 225 6222
Website: www.sds-ltd.org
Office Address: 39 Abingdon Road, Leicester LE2 1HA

Leicester Citizens Advice Bureau
Telephone: 0300 330 1025 / 0844 417 1025
Website: www.leicscab.org.uk
Office Address: 3rd Floor, 60 Charles Street LE1 1FB

MoneyWise (social housing tenants only)
Telephone: 0116 242 1153
Website: www.getmoneywise.org.uk
Office Address: York House, Granby Street, Leicester LE1 6FB

Community Advice and Law Service
Telephone: 0116 242 1120
Website: www.cals.uk.net
Office Address: 3rd Floor, Epic House, Leicester LE1 3SH

Trinity Money Advice
Telephone: 0116 319 2636
Website: www.trinitymoneyadvice.org.uk
Office Address: Crescent House, Turner Street, Leicester LE1 6WY

Christians Against Poverty
Telephone: 0800 328 0006
Website: www.capuk.org
Office Address: 10 Frog Island, Leicester LE3 5AG

Saffron Resource Centre
(Primarily: Freeman, Eyres Monsell and Aylestone residents)
Telephone: 0116 283 7212
Website: www.srcentre.org.uk
Office Address: 432 Saffron Lane, Leicester LE2 6SB

3.2 As our services are chargeable, those requiring care must notify Leicester City Council of any changes in their income. This includes pensions, benefits, and capital, for example, savings and investments. Whether the value of a home is included or not depends on the circumstances and the type of care needed.

4. The financial assessment (means test)

4.1 When care needs and a personal budget (PB) have been decided we will complete a financial assessment (known as a means test).
The financial assessment will inform people how much both the individual needs to pay and the Council should contribute and pay.
Sometimes you may not need to have a financial assessment if the NHS is paying for your care, or if in residential care when arranged under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983.
Most people will require a full financial assessment unless the upper capital limits are exceeded. (The upper capital limit may be subject to change). If the upper capital limit is exceeded, we reserve the right to waive the requirement for a full financial assessment.
How we calculate what must be paid depends on whether care is at home or in a care setting. When a person has significant financial resources, we may not need to do an assessment.

4.2 We will notify a person how much needs to be paid, in writing or electronically. Any charges are applied from the date services commenced. If a person disagrees with the amount needed to be paid, they must appeal within 35 days from the date, informing them how much must be paid. Appeals for non-residential assessments received after 35 days will not be considered.

4.3 Should a "temporary" charge for non-residential care be applied, the person receiving care will not be able to access the appeals procedure until a "final" charge has been assessed.
Any reduced charge resulting from an appeal will be backdated to the date of the first assessment.

4.4 The non-residential financial assessment will ensure that people have sufficient money to meet their housing costs, allowable disability related expenditure costs and retain the minimum income guarantee amount known as “Protected Income”.
Protected Income is the amount the Department for Health & Social Care decides annually that people must retain in income to cover their living costs. This does not include those in residential care.

4.6 Income support, Employment Support Allowance, Universal Credit & Pension Credit are set by the Government and reflect an amount required to live on according to individual circumstances. The "Protected Income" amount is intended to provide an additional safeguard to assist those needing care with independent living, in a non-residential care setting.

4.7 People under 60 years of age who receive the standard rate personal independence payment (PIP), or the middle rate of disability living allowance (care component) receive an enhanced disability premium included in their basic income support.

4.8 The non-residential care financial assessment rules are described in The Care Act 2014 and The Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014.
If the policy is unclear regarding how an item of capital, income or expenditure should be treated then the guidelines for residential charging apply.

4.9 The residential care financial assessment allows for a personal expenditure allowance rather than protected income as described above.
These rules are described in The Care Act 2014 and The Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014.

4.10 The starting point for each non-residential financial assessment calculation will be as per our policy. Individual circumstances are considered for each calculation and if there is evidence that exceptional circumstances apply then this will be considered accordingly.

4.11 For those in prison with eligible care needs a postal assessment will always be made for administrative purposes.

4.12 Any short stay or respite stay in residential care will be charged as per residential care rules and not non-residential.

4.13 Any person providing information that is incorrect or incomplete, could be prosecuted. Leicester City Council can where people fail to pay their assessed care costs withdraw care and shall consider the issue of County Court proceedings for any monies owed.

5. Calculating the amount, you must pay towards non-residential care

5.1 All types of income will be considered when assessing the amount, to be paid towards non-residential care. Unless they are disregarded as shown in 5.2.

5.2 The following income types are disregarded. Earnings, Tax Credits, Child Tax Credits, Personal Independence Mobility Payments, Disability Living Allowance ‐ Mobility, War Disablement Pension, War Widows Pension. Pension Credit (Savings).
If the higher rate of Attendance Allowance is in payment only the lower rate will be considered unless the Council provides night-time care.
If the enhanced rate of Personal Independence Payment is in payment only the standard rate will be considered unless the Council provides night-time care.
If the Higher rate of Disability Living Allowance is in payment only the middle rate will be considered unless the Council provides night-time care.

6. Your benefits and calculating the amount, you must pay towards non-residential care

6.1 The amount paid towards care will be calculated on the basis that a person has applied for and is receiving the correct means tested benefits. In essence that income has been maximised, where possible. Where additional means tested benefits are advised to be claimed, we assume that steps will be taken to immediately action and increase income.

6.2 Where social security benefits are reduced due to deductions from a benefit, the financial assessment will be calculated on the gross benefit amount.

6.3 Where a disability benefit is undecided at the time of the financial assessment the assessment will be calculated using a person's actual income. People must notify Leicester City Council should the disability benefit be paid. The amount of the increased benefit income will be calculated from the later of either, the date of the award or the date of the financial assessment.

7. Your capital and calculating the amount, you must pay towards non-residential care

7.1 Tariff income is a weekly amount added to income to take account of notional income received from capital. Tariff income from capital will be assumed at the rate of £1 for every £250 of capital between the minimum and maximum capital limits. This could change and is determined in accordance with the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014.

7.2 Capital will be assessed in accordance with the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014.

7.3 The capital assets of a couple will be assessed individually. For example, joint savings accounts will be halved for assessment purposes.

7.4 The secondary, couple's financial assessment, will be determined using the total capital assets of the couple.

7.5 Capital disposed of, or converted into a disregarded form, to reduce the charge will be treated as notional capital. This is in accordance with the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014.

7.6 If a person has capital more than the capital limit the financial assessment means test will not be applied. The charge will be calculated at full cost.

7.7 A person's main residence will not be treated as capital for the purposes of a financial assessment for non-residential charging. The "main residence" is the dwelling normally occupied by a person as their home. Only one dwelling can be disregarded for this purpose.

7.8 If a person owns or has an interest in another property their interest in that property will be treated as capital and assessed accordingly.

8. Your housing costs and calculating the amount you must pay towards non-residential care costs

8.1 Housing costs are allowable when assessing non-residential charges.

Housing costs that can be considered include:

Rent payments not met by Housing Benefit
Council Tax payments not met by Council Tax Benefit
Mortgage payments associated capital repayments and endowment premiums not met by Income Support/ Pension Guarantee Credit/Universal Credit
Amounts payable solely for housing people who are classified as non-dependents by the Department of Work and Pensions and/or Housing Benefit
Amounts payable (capital and interest) by people required to make or contributing towards the cost of work where a disabled facilities grant has been awarded. This allowance will only apply where the person has taken out a loan to pay their contribution

8.2 No allowance will be made for housing maintenance costs. Homeowners face these costs regardless of disability.

9. Couples and calculating the amount you must pay towards non-residential care costs

9.1 The Care Act 2014 foresees that councils will only consider an individual person's means when assessing the ability to pay a charge.

9.2 However, income due to one person may be paid to another, i.e., married couples who have Income Support / Employment Support Allowance / Universal Credit Pension Guarantee Credit paid to just one member of the couple. So, it can be difficult to identify separate incomes. For this reason, a secondary calculation will be made when assessing the charge for a person who is a member of a couple. The lower of the two charges will be applied.

9.3 The financial assessment will ensure, as far as possible, that the person's partner is left with the higher of:

all his or her income, or
The minimum income guarantees as per the Department of Health & Social Care, which are subject to annual review

9.4 The secondary assessment is calculated as follows:

The minimum income guarantees as per the Department of Health & Social Care
The capital assets of the couple
Housing Costs of the couple
Standard Disability Related Expenses of £10 will be allowed for the person in receipt of services only

9.5 The person is deemed to be in receipt of Income Support, Universal Credit/ Employment Support Allowance/ Pension Guarantee Credit if it is paid to either member of the couple. This is because these benefits are awarded to the couple but only actually paid to one of them.

9.6 The person's spouse or partner is entitled to choose not to disclose their income details. However, this may prove disadvantageous. See 13.1.

9.7 If Income Support, Universal Credit, Employment Support Allowance or Pension Credit is paid to either member of the couple then this must be disclosed.

9.8 Jointly held capital of the couple must be disclosed to enable an accurate assessment to be completed.

10. Carer's premium and calculating the amount you must pay towards non-residential care costs

10.1 A member of a couple will have a "Carer's Protected Allowance" applied to his / her protected income where his / her partner is in receipt of Attendance Allowance, unless he / she receives the Carer's Premium, in which case the Carer's Premium will be applied.

10.2 The Carer's Protected Allowance will be 40% of the Carer's Premium rounded up to the nearest 50 pence.

11. Disability related expenditure (DRE) and calculating the amount you must pay towards non-residential care costs

11.1 The Department of Health defines Disability Related Expenditure (DRE) as any reasonable additional cost that the person incurs because of illness or disability. Leicester City Council will refer to the person's individual care needs assessment when deciding whether to allow individual items of Disability Related Expenditure. (Expenses incurred relating to services provided by the care needs assessment are disallowed).

11.2 Disability Related Expenditure will be considered if the following criteria are met, relevant to their expenditure:

The extra cost is needed to meet a person's specific need arising out of illness or disability as identified in the person's care needs assessment
The cost is reasonable and can be verified. The person will be asked to produce receipts. If these are not available for past expenditure, the person will be asked to keep receipts for future expenditure
It is not reasonable for a lower cost alternative item or service to be used
Items are not normally provided by the NHS or another agency
The NHS or another agency cannot supply the item free of charge or at a lower cost
The expenditure costs more than Disability Living Allowance Mobility Component or Personal Independence Payment Mobility Component, if they are incurred solely or mainly due to disability, and the need is identified in the care needs assessment
Travel costs for social inclusion activities identified in the person's care needs assessment

11.3 The person may be asked to consider alternative solutions to reduce DRE. For example, purchase waterproof bedding to reduce wear and tear costs for bed linen or purchase a waterproof mattress to reduce the number of mattress purchases.

11.4 Receipts must be provided to ensure the policy is applied fairly and consistently to all people receiving services. Receipts are required for the twelve months immediately preceding the assessment and for any one off or irregular expenditure such as a stair lift if this was prior to twelve months. If no receipts are available, we will apply an allowance that is considered reasonable.

11.5 Where allowed DRE is irregular or not weekly then a weekly notional cost will be calculated.

11.6 A minimum amount of DRE will be allowed. This is reviewed each year as part of the Council's budget setting process.

11.1 Disability Related Expenditure (DRE) Exclusions

11.1.1 No allowance will be made for any item or service that is required or used by the general population and would be considered normal expenditure. The only exception shall be where an item or service is used specifically because of the person's illness or disability and would not otherwise be used. Or the item or service is not available at a lower cost.

11.1.2 DRE will not be allowed for the following expenditure:

Supporting People services
Structural or landscaping work, for example path laying in gardens or to buildings unless a Disabled Facilities Grant apply in respect of the works conducted, or
The person is a scooter / wheelchair-user and the modifications to the garden or building are essential to enable use of the scooter or wheelchair, or to provide secure storage for the scooter. The amount will be calculated as if the modifications were equipment with a suitable life span applied
Any gardening costs other than basic tidying, e.g., essential lawn cutting, weeding or seasonal pruning
Window cleaning
Tobacco or Alcohol products
The difference between the actual cost and the lower cost alternative where it is reasonable for the person to use a lower cost alternative
Home maintenance costs
Amounts paid in relation to care provided by a family member
Any item or service met by a payment from a Community Care Grant or where another funding source has been provided
Mobile Meals
Water Charges. (Water Companies cap charges for those who qualify for the WaterSure Scheme)
Telephone charges, mobile phone charges, internet & broadband charges
Alternative medicines and therapies, unless commissioned by the NHS
Pets and associated costs
Normal Fuel costs
Carer's expenses, other than essential companion's costs
Travel costs if the journey is undertaken to meet a need or service in use by the general population (e.g., shopping trips, visits to friends / relatives)

11.1.3 Where a particular item of expenditure combines more than one item or service only those elements that meet the person's specific need arising out of illness or disability can be allowed. E.g., hair washing would be allowed if the person could not do this task themselves and this is the only time that the hair was washed. However, hair cutting would not be allowed as this is a service used by the general population and is not a disability related expense.

Please note: An allowance for DRE is not for people who are only in receipt of Supporting People services and do not receive a disability benefit.

11.2 Disability Related Expenditure (DRE) Special Equipment

11.2.1 Costs for purchasing equipment that is required to meet the needs of the individual with regards to their disability (i.e., stair lifts) will be allowed if they meet the person's specific need arising out of illness or disability. The amount allowed will be based on the life span of the equipment and the purchase price paid by the person.

11.2.2 Maintenance and repair costs for such equipment will be allowed if that equipment meets the person's specific need arising out of illness or disability. The amount allowed will be the annual cost divided by 52 weeks. If no maintenance contract is in place, then the cost of the insurance contract for the item will be allowable.

11.3 Disability Related Expenditure (DRE) shared costs

11.3.1 In multi-occupancy homes, the additional costs relating to disability will be shared between the occupants whose needs contribute to the additional costs.

11.3.2 In multi-occupancy homes additional fuel costs will be attributed to the occupants whose needs contribute to the additional costs. This is defined as any person who is over sixty as well as the person receiving services.

11.3.3 The cost of employing cleaners or gardeners, if allowed, will be attributed to all the adult occupants of the person's home. Unless it can be shown that the expense is only for the person receiving services.

11.3.4 Where a couple both receive services and are both eligible for a disability related expenditure allowance, all the couple's costs will be shared equally. Unless there is evidence to show that individual items of expenditure are only incurred by one of the couples.

11.3.5 DRE Expenditure can only be allowed once. If two or more occupants are claiming DRE, then individual expenditure items must be shared or allocated to one occupant.

11.4 Disability Related Expenditure (DRE) standard allowance

11.4.1 It is acknowledged that it can be difficult for people to establish exactly the additional DRE costs that they incur. For this reason, a standard minimum DRE allowance is allocated in each financial assessment. If people feel that their actual DRE is higher than the minimum allowance, then the person will be offered a DRE assessment.

11.4.2 The standard minimum Disability Related Expenditure allowances are reviewed each year as part of the Council's budget setting process, a person must be in receipt of care services.

The standard minimum allowance for a single person is £10 per week.
The standard minimum allowance for a couple is £10 per week.

11.4.3 Any person who has higher actual DRE than the standard allowance will be allowed to claim their actual allowable DRE.

12. Reviewing the amount, you must pay towards non-residential care costs

12.1 A person must inform Leicester City Council as soon as their financial circumstances change. Changes may affect the amount paid towards care costs. Examples of financial changes are:

Any change to benefit payments
Any change to other income payments, for example a private pension
Any change to housing costs
Any change to allowable Disability Related Expenditure
Any notable change to capital amounts, i.e., 10% or more of total capital

12.2 If the person does not inform Leicester City Council of any financial changes, and because of those changes, the amount required to be paid increases, then the increased charges will apply from the date of the change.

12.3 Leicester City Council will take necessary steps to recover any care costs that should have been paid, but were not, when a person does not disclose changes in financial circumstances.

12.4 Leicester City Council may review a person's financial circumstances and the amount paid towards care costs at any time. A review may happen:

On request from the person or his / her authorised representative
Following an award or withdrawal of a benefit
Added information is received as to the person's income and expenditure
When the Department for Work & Pensions increases benefits
As a result of changes to the amount charged for care costs or policy change
Annually, or when a review has not been completed for at least 12 months

12.5 Where the review leads to a change in the amount payable towards care costs, the change will apply from the Monday following the date the change took place, or the date from which the revised services commenced.

13. Non-disclosure of financial details to calculate the amount you must pay towards care costs

13.1 People have the right to choose not to disclose their financial details and circumstances, for either the initial financial assessment and or for subsequent reviews. These people will be charged for the full cost of their care.

14. Refusal to co-operate and provide financial details to calculate the amount you must pay towards care costs

14.1 If a person refuses to co-operate with a financial assessment, they will be required to pay the full cost of their care. Costs must be paid from the date of the refusal to undertake the financial assessment.

14.2 A person is considered to have refused to co-operate without good cause when:

The person does not allow Leicester City Council to obtain the necessary information for an assessment or review despite two written requests
The person or representative fails to keep a pre-arranged appointment, either by phone, or visit
Fails to provide proof of income within one month of a written request
Fails to provide proof of expenditure within one month of a written request
Fails to provide proof of capital within one month of a written request
Fails to complete financial review forms either by telephone with an advisor, or when we visit their home or when issued by post

14.3 If we can establish that a person is in receipt of Income Support / Universal Credit / Employment Support Allowance / Pension Guarantee Credit then the financial assessment will be completed on that basis.

14.4 If the financial information held in our accessible records, is current and can be verified, then the financial assessment will be completed using that information.

14.5 If the person later decides to co-operate, care costs will apply from the Monday following the date the change took place, or the date services commenced.

15. Waiving care costs

15.1 Occasionally, it is decided that the financial assessment process would adversely affect a person's health or that a person genuinely cannot afford to pay the costs.

15.2 Leicester City Council will endeavour to collect the necessary information to complete the financial assessment, when such cases arise. However, when the costs are decided, a waiver may be considered appropriate by the Council.

15.3 A waiver may be considered if the financial assessment process is unable to be completed because the person's health would be adversely affected by the process.

15.4 A waiver may be considered if a person feels that they cannot afford to pay the charges, either in full or part. The person should give full details of the reason for their request for a waiver.

15.5 A waiver can only be granted and approved in accordance with the agreed Scheme of Delegation for the Department & Financial Procedural Rules of the Council.

15.6 Any waiver of care costs must be reviewed at six monthly intervals, or as required in accordance with the agreed Scheme of Delegation & Financial Procedural Rules of the Council. This applies to both Residential and Non-Residential care costs.

16. Cancelling care and care costs

16.1 If a person wishes to cancel any care services or monies received from the Council to pay for care, they must contact their allocated social worker. Care services cannot be cancelled through the Business Service Centre's, Finance section.

17. Right to appeal care costs

17.1 If a person feels care costs have not been calculated in accordance with this policy, and or feels that their specific individual circumstances are exceptional and should be considered as a special case, then they have the right to appeal under the non-residential appeals procedure.

17.2 Any appeal against care costs, to be charged, must be in writing and registered with the Finance section within 35 days from the date of the letter. Appeals registered after 35 days will not be considered. Appeals should be submitted to: nonres-assessments@leicester.gov.uk

17.3 If a "temporary" care cost charges are applied, a person will not be able to access the appeals procedure until a "final" charge for care costs have been financially assessed. Any reduced charges resulting from an appeal will be backdated to the date of the first assessment.

17.4 The person or their authorised representative can start the appeal process at any time within the 35-day period. The appeal request must be in writing to: nonres-assessments@leicester.gov.uk

17.5 The appeal must state; where the charges for care costs have not been calculated in accordance with this policy, and or why they feel that their specific individual circumstances are exceptional and should be considered as a special case.

17.6 The person has no right of appeal against the actual cost of the care and support services being provided. The appeal procedure is only applicable to the amount of the assessed charges that must be paid for the care costs.

17.7 The appeal process may result in the amount charged for care costs increasing, decreasing, or staying the same.

17.8 The appeal will be considered within five working days, by an independent council officer who did not complete the original assessment. The outcome will be notified in writing. The person will have 14 days to advise in writing whether they wish to continue to the next stage of the appeal process.

17.9 Within 14 days, a person must identify which specific element of the financial assessment they feel has not been calculated in accordance with this policy and or which specific element of their individual circumstances has not been considered for the purposes of calculating the charges that must be paid. This must be in writing.

17.10 The appeal at this second stage, will be reviewed by a panel of two senior council officers. One officer from a social work discipline and one from Finance.

17.11 The panel will consider the second stage of the appeal case within 21 days. The person will be advised in writing of the panel's decision within five working days.

17.12 If a person is dissatisfied with the outcome of the appeal, then they may wish to make a complaint, in accordance with Leicester City Council's Complaints Procedure. The Complaints procedure can only consider whether the policy has been applied correctly.

18. Direct payments for arranging your own care

18.1 Leicester City Council can pay people directly to arrange their own support at home. When we make direct payments, people can choose to employ their own personal assistant or sometimes use an agency to manage what is paid for their care. These payments are known as Direct Payments for care costs. This Policy and how we calculate the amount paid towards care still applies.

18.2 Direct payments are paid every four weeks, in advance, of the amount we have agreed to contribute towards care costs. People must meet any shortfall in those costs. These payments are usually made onto a pre-payment card.

18.3 It is a legal requirement for the Council to monitor how people spend their direct payments. We will monitor how money is spent paid onto a pre-payment card. We can ask for evidence to be provided of this expenditure.

18.4 If the Council is concerned that direct payments are not being used to pay for care costs, or a person is not paying their contribution towards their care costs, we will pay the care provider direct. A person will be invoiced for any contribution towards those care costs. A person may not always be suitable for a direct payment, the council will decide.

18.5 When surplus monies accumulate on a pre-payment card, the Council may claw back monies. We only refund monies when the contributions paid exceed the actual cost of services provided.

19. How you can pay for your care

19.1 Invoices are sent every four weeks, when a person must contribute towards their care and does not receive direct payments from us. Our invoices are due immediately and provide for a range of payment options. Our invoices detail the payment options available.

20. How those charges are calculated for non-residential care

20.1 When we calculate what must be paid, our charging week runs from a Monday to a Sunday. The hourly rate for care is calculated as an average of the costs from different providers who provide such care. Hourly rates are reviewed annually by the Council. We charge what it would cost the Council to provide the care.

20.2 Care at home. We charge for every visit 15 minutes minimum. Then for each 15-minute intervals thereafter. We charge a minimum of 15 minutes service in each week and thereafter for each interval of 15 minutes of service.

20.3 If a person disputes the amount of service provided, we will ask the care provider for evidence of the actual hours provided. A person will be charged on the actual services provided, for each interval of 15-minutes of service.

20.4 We always charge for those services provided which may include day centre services, where activities are provided and or transport. Day centre services will be charged at the cost of the individual session rate paid by the Council.

20.5 We will only expect a person to pay what has been assessed as affordable in the financial assessment, or less if the cost of the services provided are lower.

20.6 Where a person's care needs assessment requires that two or more care workers are needed to complete a task, i.e., lifting a person, the charge will be for the cost of providing two or more care workers.

20.7 Transport costs will be charged at the rate paid by the Council for providers to deliver the service.

20.8 When we make direct payments, the cost of your care will be equal to the payments that are made to people to purchase this support. A person may still have to contribute to those costs.

Please note Section 18 & 20 does not apply to Residential Care provided. If it has been decided that you can afford to pay for the full cost of your care in a residential care setting, then you must contract directly with the residential care home.