Changes to How You Pay for Care– we want to talk to you

Social care services are provided in different ways to help people live independently in their own communities. If someone might need support, a health or care professional will assess them to understand what kind of help they need. We then look at what local services are available that could support the person or their family.

Some social care services are free, such as home care that helps someone get up in the morning or go to bed at night. Other services may require you to pay a contribution. For example, day care services, where someone goes to a day centre to socialise or to give their carer a break.

The council checks its fees and charges every year. These fees must follow the law and national guidance.

What care is always free?

If you are assessed for care, your personal care and nursing care are always free.
This has been the law for:

• everyone aged over 65 since 2002
• all adults since 2019

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 charging that may make them more reliable for the future.

We want to understand how these changes might affect you. Ask us a question and complete the budget consultation questionnaire and tell us what you think.