Review of Charging Policy in Adult Social Care

Overview

Nottinghamshire County Council is consulting on a proposed change to its Adult Social Care Charging Policy for some people who pay the full cost of their own residential or nursing care.

A self-funder is someone who has enough money, savings, investments or property to pay for their own care without financial support from the council.

When someone moves permanently into a residential or nursing care home, the council will assess their financial circumstances and discuss the options available to help meet the cost of their care. This includes providing information about the Universal Deferred Payment Scheme (a scheme that allows eligible people to delay paying some care costs until later, usually from the value of their property).

The Universal Deferred Payment Scheme is optional. People can choose whether or not they wish to use it.

The proposed policy change would make it clearer that people who are responsible for paying the full cost of their own residential or nursing care, and who choose not to use the Universal Deferred Payment Scheme, would normally be expected to make arrangements directly with their chosen care home and pay the care home directly.

Where the council has previously arranged a placement, the person receiving care, or someone who is willing, able and authorised to act on their behalf, would normally become responsible for making arrangements with the care home and paying the care home directly. Before this happens, the council would consider the person's circumstances and carry out any appropriate safeguarding checks.

This proposal may affect people who:

• pay the full cost of their own residential or nursing care;
• own a property that is taken into account when assessing how their care should be funded; and
• choose not to use a Universal Deferred Payment Scheme.

The proposal would not change:

• the council's responsibility to assess a person's care and support needs;
• the advice and information available to people and their families;
• eligibility for the Universal Deferred Payment Scheme; or
• the council's duty to consider individual circumstances and safeguarding concerns.

The council would continue to consider whether it has a duty to arrange care where someone is genuinely unable to make their own arrangements and there is no other person able and authorised to act on their behalf. This could include situations where a person lacks the mental capacity to make these decisions.

No final decision has been made. We would like to hear the views of people who use services, carers, families, care homes and other interested parties before any decision is taken. Consultation feedback will be considered alongside legal, financial and equality considerations before recommendations are made.