Charges for non residential care
On this page you can find all the information on charges for non residential care.
Introduction
This page explains
- why a charge is made
- what non residential services you pay for
- how your contribution is calculated
- how you can pay your bill
- what to do if you do not agree with your contribution
- how to contact us.
Why do we ask for a contribution?
The Government expects local authorities to raise up to 9% of the cost of providing non residential community care services by asking service users to make a contribution.
Failure to raise this money would result in a loss of income and reduce the amount of services we provide.
The Fairer Charging Policy Document explains the contribution process in more detail, and can be downloaded as a Microsoft Word Document from the bottom of the page.
What non residential services do I pay for?
If you receive or attend any of the following non residential services, we will assess your income and savings to see if you are able to pay some of the cost. Non residential services include the following (this is not an exhaustive list)
- home support, day or night
- Direct Payment Scheme
- community support (care in the community)
- community support (mental health)
- community support (adult placement scheme)
- day centres
- night care visiting
- community support (bathing service, sitting service)
- transport.
How is my contribution calculated?
The Fairer Charging Policy requires that no one will pay more than they can afford towards their care. Anyone whose income is less than their basic income support rate (plus 25% of that rate), will not pay a fee.
To calculate what your contribution will be we need to complete a financial assessment. This will begin with a visit from our Financial Assessment Team. We will ask you to provide information about your income, such as any benefits or pensions you receive. We will not ask for information about earnings from employment.
We will ask you to provide evidence of your savings by showing us your bank and building society accounts, national savings or shares.
We will ask you to provide evidence of your household expenses such as fuel bills, council tax, rent or mortgage payments.
If you receive disability related benefits, such as Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Severe Disability Premium, we will ask you to provide evidence of your disability related expenses. For example receipts, invoices, bills etc. These could be offset against your income and reduce your contribution.
Disability related expenses
A disability related expense is a normal everyday expense that costs you more because you are disabled. You can only claim if you get a disability related benefit such as the care component of Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance. You need to provide proof of these expenses and receipts are normally required before a claim can be considered.
The following are examples of disability related expenditure
- The cost of eligible care where we're unable to provide it, so you are purchasing the care directly from a provider or employing someone yourself.
- Privately arranged care such as carers, personal assistants, escorts.
- Privately arranged domestic help where your assessment of need clearly identifies that you cannot do these tasks independently and there is no one to assist you.
- Extra heating costs such as gas, electricity, oil.
- Special diet - any food or supplement on medical advice.
- City Wide Alarms
- Extra bedding due to incontinence, tearing, heavy usage.
- Extra water charges.
- Clothing due to incontinence, tearing, heavy usage.
- Laundry including special washing powder.
- Extra unavoidable transport costs.
- Prescriptions charges for long term health conditions.
- Higher incidences of breakage, damages and redecoration not covered by insurance.
- Purchase or rental of a basic mobile telephone where you cannot access a public telephone and need to contact people quickly due to your disability. The cost of telephone calls is not covered.
- The cost of purchase, maintenance and repair of equipment which is assessed as being needed but where we cannot provide it. Or where you have had to make a financial contribution to top up a Disabled Facility Grant in the last 5 years.
- Additional costs to building and contents insurance.
- Service agreements and repairs for the disability equipment you need.
Once you have given us this information we can calculate the most that you can afford to pay. The contribution is based upon two calculations
- how much money you have available to pay (assessed income)
- the charge for the level of care you receive (service fee).
The amount you will pay is the lower of these two figures. If the lowest figure is nil, you will receive a free service.
The figures are calculated as follows
Assessed income
- the total of all your income (not your earnings from employment)
- less the basic amount you would receive from Income Support
- less a further 25% of the Income Support amount (living allowance)
- less allowable household costs (rent, council tax, mortgage interest)
- less disability related expenses if you receive disability benefits such as the care component of Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance.
The remaining figure would be your assessed income.
Service fee
This could include the number of
- hours home support you receive multiplied by the home support charge rate per hour
- day centre sessions you attend multiplied by the charge rate per session
- trips taken on transport multiplied by the charge rate per trip.
The total of these added together will be your service fee.
So if your assessed income is more than your service fee, you will pay the total amount of your service fee, or if your service fee is more than your assessed income, you will only pay the amount of your assessed income.
Transport will be charged at a rate set by us, and added to your assessed contribution.
You will be given a guide to approximate charges to help you work out what your charge is likely to be.
How do I pay my contribution?
Once your contribution has been calculated you will receive a letter that explains how it was worked out, how much you will have to pay and how you can pay.
You can pay monthly by direct debit, or by using a swipe card at the post office, by cheque, debit or credit card.
You will receive an invoice either monthly or 4 weekly - depending on how you pay.
You must make sure you pay invoices in full within 28 days whichever payment method you choose.
You will not be expected to pay for services you don't receive when
- you have been admitted into hospital as an in-patient
- you have to go into short term care
- we have been unable to provide any services listed in your care plan
- you are away on holiday, but only for the first four weeks.
You should however continue to pay your agreed weekly contribution and you will be refunded for any service missed for these reasons.
What if I do not agree with the amount I am asked to pay?
If you don't agree with the calculation of your charge, you can appeal.
First contact our Financial Assessment Team to ask them to look at your assessment, saying why you think the charge is incorrect.
If after this you are not satisfied with their decision, you can ask the Revisit and Review Panel to review your case. This panel is made up of our senior managers.
If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Revisit and Review Panel, you can the make a complaint by completing a Tell Us What You Think Leaflet. For a copy telephone (0114) 273 4969.
How to contact us
You can contact the Financial Assessment, Payment and Recovery team on (0114) 273 5364 or email financial.assessments@sheffield.gov.uk. Alternatively you can write to us at
Financial Assessment, Payments and Recovery team
Neighbourhoods and Community Care Directorate
Floor 9
Floor 9
Redvers House
Union Street
Sheffield
S1 2JQ
or fill in the feedback form.
Other Languages
If you would like help from an interpreter we may be able to help. Contact us to ask for help with an interpreter in your language.
Downloads
Information about a financial assessment to see if you’re able to contribute to the cost of the services you receive. (352 KB)
Our customer standards. (36.5 KB)
How your contribution is calculated, what Disability Related Expenditure you may be entitled to and how you can pay your contribution. (168 KB)
Information on how you work out the most you’ll have to pay for services to help you live at home.
(92 KB)
(92 KB)
Information on contributions for non-residential care services. (144 KB)