1.2 The Care Act 2014 provides a single framework for charging for care and support. It enables councils to decide whether or not to charge a person when arranging to meet the person’s care and support needs or a carer’s support needs. If a council decides to charge, it must follow the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) regulations and have regard to the statutory guidance, including the areas of discretion.
1.3 The aim of this policy is to ensure when the council charges for adult social care it will:
- ensure that people are not charged more than is reasonable for them to pay
- be comprehensive, to reduce variation in the way people are assessed and charged
- be clear and transparent, so people know what they will be charged
- promote wellbeing, social inclusion, and support the vision of individualisation, independence, choice and control
- support careers to look after their own health and wellbeing and to care effectively and safely
- be individual-focused, reflecting the variety of care and caring journeys and the variety of options available to meet needs
- apply the charging rules equally so those with similar needs or services are treated the same and minimise anomalies between different care settings
- encourage and enable those who wish to stay in or take up employment, education, or training, or plan for future costs of meeting their needs to do so
- continue to be sustainable for the council in the long term.
1.4 The statutory guidance requires local authority to consult people with care and support needs when deciding how to exercise its discretion. You can find out more on the council’s 2024 consultation and equalities impact assessment here:
Delegated Decisions
In this policy, where the term ‘representative’ is used it refers to someone in a legal position to support and manage a person’s finances. This includes:
- A Registered Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Finances
- Enduring Power of Attorney
- Court-Appointed deputy
- DWP Appointee
1.6 The definition of some words and phrases used in this policy can be found in Appendix 1.
