How are my finances assessed?
If you are attending a day centre, as with the home care service, you are required to complete and sign a form that states your financial position in order for us to work out how much you can afford to pay. This is done under the fairer charging policy which is designed to make sure that you only pay what you can afford to.
A member of the Fairer Charging visiting team will meet with you to help you to complete this form. They will also help you claim any benefits you may be entitled to.
How much will I have to pay?
You may not have to pay anything if you have income (other than earnings from any work that you do) of less than:
- £162.50 a week if you are over 60
- £114.75 a week if you are aged between 25 and 60 or
- £98.06 a week if you are aged between 18 and 24
For people with more weekly income than this, the visitor will look at your income and make allowances for certain living expenses e.g. housing costs, and any expenses you have that you incur due to your ill health or a disability you may have. This will determine the level of contribution, if any, you will have to make towards the cost of the services you get. You will only pay what you are assessed as being able to afford.
We work out how much you will have to pay for day care under the fairer charging rules, which are based on what you can afford to pay. The most you will have to pay for a day-care session is £3.10 a day.
If we provide transport to or from the day centre, we will charge you for each journey. This year (2009/2010), the charge is £1.30 per day.
You will have to pay for meals you have at the day care centre.
What other costs are involved?
Even if you get help with the costs of day care, there are some things that everyone must pay for. These other costs can include a meal whilst you are there, and transport to get you there and back. The current charges are:
- main meal – £3 a day
- 2nd meal - £1.90 a day
- transport – £1.30 per day