Financial assessment

Havering Home Care Charging April 2011. Some key features of the Home Care Charging Scheme.

Exemption from charge

Customers suffering from Creuzfeldt Jacob Disease (CJD) are exempt from charge. Home Care provided as after-care under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 will not be charged for.

The hourly charge

This is the same rate that the Council must pay for Home Care to the Agencies providing the service. Customers pay no more than the cost of the service to the Council. The day time rate is £12.67 per hour.

The Maximum Charge

There is a Maximum Charge for customers of £320 per week even if the cost of care to the Council is higher.

Customers with over £23,250 savings

These customers are required to pay the full cost of their care if below £320 per week. For care costing over £320 per week, the Maximum Charge applies.

Assistance with the charge

All new Home Care customers will be visited and a full financial assessment carried out to assess whether the Council can help with the Home Care charge. Visits will be carried out by PATH – the Pension & Assessment Team Havering – which is made up of Council and Pension Service Visiting Officers.

The Financial Assessment

The Council will ask for details of customers:

Income
Savings
Housing Costs
Disability Related Expenses

For customers with savings up to £23,250 an appropriate Home Care charge will be calculated to ensure that the customer retains enough income for:

Basic living costs
Housing Costs
Disability Related Expenses

Customers will be treated as having a £1 a week income from each £250 of savings between £14,250 and £23,250.

Couples

The Council will first take account of the customer's income, savings and expenses to work out what help the Council can give with the charge.

Customers will also be asked to provide financial information about their partner. With this information, the Council will carry out a second check of what help can be given with the charge. The Council will always choose the outcome which results in the most help being given towards the charge.

Providing partner's details will also enable a check to be made of whether the couple might be entitled to further entitlements or allowances (like Income Support or Pension Credit).

Families with children

Assessing what help can be given by the Council with Home Care Charges where the customer has children, is similar to the treatment of Couples.

First, an assessment is done for the customer. Then, if financial information has been provided about the family, a second assessment is done based on this information. The assessment which results in the most help being given with the charge is the one that the Council will use.

Provision of family details will also assist the Council to check whether further benefits might be claimed.

Choosing not to apply for help with the charge

Customers may choose not to complete a financial assessment form when the PATH Visiting Officer calls. The customer will be asked to pay the full cost of their Home Care.

Increasing income

For customers aged 60 and over, the Pension & Assessment Team Havering will check for entitlement to further benefits and allowances. These customers will be offered help in their home to complete any necessary claim forms. Customers under 60 will have their benefits checked by Social Services Welfare Rights Unit.

Disputing the assessed charge

If a customer wishes to dispute the assessed charge, they should immediately contact the Council's Home Care Charge Assessor on 01708 434380.

The Council will check with the customer that information used in the charge assessment is correct. A further financial assessment visit may be made. Reassessment of charge will be made if appropriate.

If the customer still disputes the charge, or their ability to pay, or advises that they wish to stop or cancel their Home Care service, these issues will be considered at regular review meetings chaired by the Social Services Commissioning Manager.

A Community Care Assessor will carry out a Care Needs Assessment where a customer requests a reduction or stop of the Home Care service.

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