Review of contributions towards adult social care support: Example scenarios

Adult social care charges are different for everybody and are dependent on a person's individual circumstances.

We have provided some scenarios below based on different individual circumstances. These are examples only, to show what might change to a person's contributions when they are reassessed.

Disability Related Expenditure

The Council recognises that many people they provide care and support to will have additional costs to live their daily lives. A guideline allowance is applied to their financial assessment to acknowledge those additional costs.

The level of allowance applied is based on the level of disability benefit received and whether they qualify for the Severe Disability Premium.

Please note, if the person does not receive any disability related income, they will not receive any allowance for disability related expenditure (DRE). It is proposed that DRE is streamlined from several rates to 2 guideline rates (£30 for higher and £15 for low rate). The rate allowed will be based on the level of disability benefit received. A full assessment of disability related expenditure can be requested if you think your expenses are higher than the guideline amount.

Example scenarios

Example 1 - Elsie, widowed pensioner living alone in Council bungalow

Elsie is a pensioner and is widowed. She lives alone in a Council bungalow and receives care and support daily provided by the Council.

She receives a State Retirement Pension of £156.20, topped up with Pension Guarantee Credit of £121.25 per week. Elsie also receives Attendance Allowance (high rate) of £101.75 per week.

Her total weekly income is £379.20.

Elsie's rent is £99 per week and she receives Housing Benefit of £91 per week towards this. This means she pays £8 from her weekly income.

She also receives full Council Tax Support. This means she doesn't have to pay any Council Tax. This is due to her getting Pension Guarantee Credit.

Elsie receives care and support for 2 hours everyday. The full cost of her care and support is £301.14.

Under the Council's current charging policy, Elsie is assessed to contribute a maximum of £69.24 per week.

Under the proposed changes, she would be assessed to contribute a maximum of £101.20 per week, leaving her with a disposable income of £278 per week for rent and other daily living expenses.

All calculations include an allowance of £30 per week disability related expenditure.

Example 2 - Bob, pensioner living alone in own property

Bob is a pensioner and lives alone in his own property.

He receives a State Pension of £190 per week. He has an Occupational of £50 per week and this topped up with Pension Guarantee Credit of £37.45 per week.

He also receives Attendance Allowance (low rate) of £68.10 per week.

His total weekly income is £345.55.

He receives full Council Tax Support which means he does not have to pay any Council Tax. This is due to him being in receipt of Pension Guarantee Credit.

Bob attends the Day Centre twice a week. The full cost of this support is £49.80 per week.

Under the Council's current charging policy, Bob is assessed to contribute a maximum of £69.24 per week.

Under the proposed charging policy, he would be assessed to contribute a maximum of £116.20 per week.

Under the current and proposed charging policies Bob would only pay the cost of his care package of £49.80 as this is less than his assessed maximum contribution.

This would leave him with disposable income of £295.75 per week.

All calculations include an allowance of £15 per week disability related expenditure as he in receipt of Attendance Allowance (Low Rate).

Example 3 - Ryan, 30 year old with a learning disability living in Independent Support Living accommodation

Ryan is 30 years old, he has a learning disability and lives in Independent Supported Living accommodation.

He receives Employment and Support Allowance of £225.45 per week. He also receives the standard rate of Personal Independence Payment (Daily Living) of £68.10 per week.

His total weekly income is £293.55.

Ryan's rent is £95 per week and he receives Housing Benefit of £87 per week towards this, resulting in him paying £8 from his weekly income.

He is exempt from paying Council Tax.

Ryan receives 39 hours support each week costing £612.25. He also attends a day service twice a week costing £113.20.

The total cost of his care and support is £725.45 per week.

Under the Council's current charging policy Ryan is assessed to contribute a maximum of £82.24 per week.

Under the proposed charging policy he would be assessed to contribute a maximum of £106.80 per week.

This would leave him with a disposable income of £186.75 per week for rent and other daily living expenses.

All calculations include an allowance of £15 per week disability related expenditure.

Example 4 - Paul and Isabelle, pensioners living in Council house

Paul and Isabelle are both pensioners and live in a rented house. They both receive a Direct Payment and employ a carer to support them to live independently.

They both receive the new state retirement pension, £203.85 per week, topped up by Pension Guarantee Credit of £51.95 per week.

They also each receive Attendance Allowance (high rate) of £101.75 per week.

Their total weekly income is £663.15.

Paul and Isabelle's rent is £110 per week and they receive Housing Benefit of £102 per week towards this, resulting in them paying £8 per week from their income.

They also receive full Council Tax Support which means they do not have to pay any Council Tax. This is because they get Pension Guarantee Credit.

Paul receives 29 hours support per week costing £410.35, and Isabelle receives 25 hours per week costing £303.75.

The total cost of their support is £714.10 per week.

Under the Council's current charging policy Paul and Isabelle are assessed to contribute a maximum of £81.13 per week each.

Under the proposed charging policy they would be assessed to contribute a maximum of £104.27 per week each, leaving them with a disposable income of £454.61 per week for rent and other daily living expenses.

All calculations include an allowance of £30 per week disability related expenditure each.

Example 5 - Lois and Taylor, both under pension age and live in their own house

Lois and Taylor are both under pension age and live in their own house.

They both receive care and support from the Council.

They receive Employment and Support Allowance of £358.70 per week. They also each receive the enhanced rate of Personal Independence Payment (Daily Living) of £101.75 per week.

Their total weekly income is £562.20.

Lois and Taylor get help to pay their Council Tax and pay £2.67 per week.

Lois receives 10 hours of support per week costing £215.10, and Taylor receives 6 hours of support per week costing £129.06.

The total cost of their support is £344.16 per week.

Under our current charging policy, Lois and Taylor are assessed to contribute a maximum of £92.42 per week each.

Under the proposed charging policy they would be assessed to contribute a maximum of £86.06 per week each, leaving them with a disposable income of £387.40 per week for their daily living expenses.

All calculations include an allowance of £30 per week disability related expenditure each.

Example 6 - Margaret, widowed pensioner living alone in rented accommodation

Margaret is a pensioner and is widowed, and lives alone in a rented bungalow.

Following a deterioration in her health she needs help for 2 hours everyday to continue living at home independently.

She requires 4 x 30 minutes daily care calls. The full cost of her care and support is £301.14 per week.

Her income is £201.05 per week. This is made up of a State Retirement Pension of £156.20, topped up with Pension Guarantee Credit of £45.05 per week.

She also has savings of £3,200.

Margaret's rent is £95 per week. She receives Housing Benefit of £86 per week towards this meaning she pays £9 from her weekly income.

She also receives full Council Tax Support which means she does not have to pay any Council Tax, this is because she gets Pension Guarantee Credit.

Based on her income she does not have to pay towards the cost of her care and support.

Margaret makes a claim for Attendance Allowance and receives the high rate of £101.75 per week. As a result of this, she is also entitled to additional Pension Guarantee Credit.

Her revised weekly income is £379.20 per week. This is made up of £101.75 of Attendance Allowance, £156,20 of State Pension and £121.25 of Pension Guarantee Credit.

She is now assessed to pay £101.20 towards the cost of her care.

Her weekly income before care and support is required is £201.05

Her weekly income following her claim for Attendance Allowance and additional Pension Guarantee Credit is £379.20.

The weekly contribution towards the cost of her care £101.20

Following payment of her care bill and water / sewerage costs she has a residual weekly amount of £277.48, an increase of more than £77 per week.