Frequently Asked Questions
- how financial assessments work
- how we decide a fair contribution (Updated document will be added.)
- all the services you are assessed as needing
- the total weekly cost of your care
- your available income (after we consider any rules that help protect your money)
Why are we talking to communities now?
We want to explain some changes that could affect how social care charges may work this year.
We also want to understand how these changes might affect you.
We know care is expensive to provide. When we assess your needs, we look at all the support around you, not just HSCP services. Sometimes support comes from family, friends, or community groups.
Some parts of care are not counted when we work out how much you might need to pay.
We have made examples that show how we calculate costs and contributions. These are available in the “useful documents”.
You can also learn more about:
How do we work out what you pay?
Your contribution is based on:
There is a maximum amount you will ever pay each week.
This is called a cap. It goes up each year.
There is also a buffer, which means we do not count all of your income as money you must use for care.
We want to hear from you because we know the cost of living has gone up, especially in rural, remote, and island areas and we may ask you to consider paying more for your care.
Information about how we set the weekly cap will be added in the useful documents.
We must show the Integration Joint Board (IJB) how charges might affect your everyday life—for example, if paying for care means you cannot afford other important things. This helps us understand the wider impact on you and your family.
What changes are we proposing?
1. The usual yearly review of all charges We do this every year.
2. A new flat weekly fee for the responder service This fee would help keep the responder service running in the long term.
3. Changes to Day Services (Option 2 from the Day Services Consultation)
Day services would move towards full cost recovery over two years.
This does not mean you cannot use the service if you cannot afford it—day services are means tested.
Information about how we will consult and what we will do with your feedback
- We will use this online engagement hub as the main place to share information and answer questions. This will run from 29 January to 12 March (Day Services will be longer).
- We will engage directly with service users and their families and the Housing Association
- We will share the dates for in‑person community conversations and an online session.
- We will speak with staff and ask for their professional views on how to keep services safe and effective.
- We will include carers and care providers in the consultation.
- We will also ask for your feedback through a questionnaire, and you can ask us questions directly on this site.
- Your feedback will help us complete the Integrated Impact Assessment. This assessment looks at how our plans might affect people in Argyll & Bute and helps us understand any risks.
- Your views will help shape the IJB (Integration Joint Board) decision on the budget. Your feedback may change parts of the proposals.
- We will report your feedback to the Integration Joint Board.
- At the end of the consultation, we will publish three documents:
- The Integrated Impact Assessments
- The budget proposal
- A final consultation report
- The results of the engagement, the impact assessment, and the budget proposal will be presented at the IJB public meeting on 25 March 2026.
- These papers will be available to view from 17 March 2026.
- You can also subscribe for updates, so you can see what people said and what the IJB decided.
How will we consult?
What will we do with your feedback?
How will we update you?
Who are we?
Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership is a partnership between Argyll & Bute Council and NHS Highland. We work together to deliver health and social care services across Argyll & Bute.