Walsall Social Care and Inclusion

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Walsall Social Care and Inclusion

• Charging Policy Review
• Consultation
• December 2014- February 2015

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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

• 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 initialintake_at_walsall.gov.uk
• Post Walsall Council Integrated business
  processes services, Civic Centre, Darwall
  Street Walsall WS1 1TP
• Telephone [phone]
• Textphone 0845 111 2910
• SMS Text 07834 114482.

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Walsall Social Care and Inclusion
Thank you for your contribution