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Walsall Social Care and Inclusion
Charging Policy Review
Consultation
December 2014- February 2015
www.walsall.gov.uk
Walsall Social Care and Inclusion
Introductions
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Purpose
Current policy not fit for purpose:
 Care Act 2014 and Children and Families
Act 2014
 Current Range of Charges
 Local Government Ombudsman
Judgements
 Efficiencies
 New Client Information System
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Current charging arrangements
• People who receive community based
services are charged based on the benefits
they receive.
• People are charged up to:
– 50% of Attendance Allowance
– 50% of Disability Living Allowance (care
component)
– 100% Severe Disability Premium
• Regardless of the services received
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Charging under the Care Act
The Care Act 2014 sets out a clear approach
to charging and financial assessment.
Some care and support is free but some may
be charged
People will only be asked to pay what they can
afford
A financial assessment to decide what people
can afford to pay will be complete
The rules are set in regulations and guidance
to give a transparent and consistent approach
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In the future
• The aim of the review is to:
• Create a fair and transparent system of
charging across adult social care services.
• Determine an approach that is supportive of
the legislative changes
• Have a system that is easier to administer
including payment mechanisms and billing.
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Who may be affected?
• Those who use community based services
such as:
– Home Care
– Respite
– Day Care
– Extra Care
– Direct Payments
– Prevention Services
– Community Alarms
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Services which may not be charged?
• After-care services provided under section
117 of the Mental Health Act 1983
• Services users who are suffering from any
form of creutzfeldt-jakob disease
• Providing advice about the availability of
services or for assessment
• Service users who are fully funded under
Continuing Health Care
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Review Process
• Cabinet approved consultation on charging
on 10 September 2014.
• Pre-Engagement activity took place in
November 2014
• Learning from other sources
• Consultation Period
• Decision by Cabinet 18 March 2015
• Implementation Spring 2015
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Pre-Engagement Feedback
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Fair and equitable
Consensus on the need to charge
Disposable income considered carefully
Simple disability related expenditure system
Easy to understand Invoicing and billing
Prevention services charges may discourage
people from using them
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Pre-Engagement Feedback
• A mix of views on carers and self
funders having access to free services
• People were unsure about charging for
equipment
• Move away from traditional methods of
consultation
• Give people more time to understand
what is being asked
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Areas for consultation
• Discretion to charge for services and charging models
• Treatment of Disposable Income and Partner income
• Maximum Charges and charging for Full cost of
services
• Disability Related Expenditure and financial
assessments
• Charges for Extra Care Tenants, Carers, Self
Funders,
• Charging for prevention aids and adaptations
• Paying people on Direct Payments net of their charge
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Your views
Any questions?
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Your views
• All feedback will be considered
• We will use this information to help us
design the final model which will go to
Cabinet for approval on 18 March 2015
• We will share the final outcome of the
consultation with everyone affected by
the change.
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How to share your views
You can also share your views with us
– Online: Charging consultation 2014-15
– Email: [email protected]
• Post: Walsall Council Integrated business
processes & services, Civic Centre, Darwall
Street Walsall WS1 1TP
– Telephone: 0300 555 2922
– Textphone: 0845 111 2910
– SMS Text: 07834 114482.
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Walsall Social Care and Inclusion
Thank you for
your contribution
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