New charges for social and respite care users

Users will pay half the cost –but in April they will have to pay the full cost.

But a senior council has pledged that “the most vulnerable” will still get support.

The changes will see the use of a means test which adjusts the amount payable to match an individual’s ability to pay and it will be used in the same way as it is applied to existing services.

The charges will affect the Take-a-Break respite service, support at night and 24-hour support. The Take-a-Break charges will from January 1 be £7.77 per hour for most services, said the county council, and from April 1 the charge will be full cost and charged at £15.54 per hour for most services.

For the Sleeping Night Support service, the council said the standard average cost will be £2.23 per hour, pro rata when shared, and from April 1 the standard average cost will be £4.46 per hour, and pro rata when shared.

The Waking Night Support from January 1 will have a standard average cost of £6.95 per hour and pro rata when shared, said the council.

From April 1 the standard average cost will be £13.91 per hour, and pro rata shared.

The 24-Hour Live-In Support service will be an average of £2.58 per hour, said the council, and pro rata when shared, and from April 1 the average will be £5.17 per hour, and pro rata when shared.

Charges for respite residential care will also go up in January, from £51.80 per day to the actual daily rate, with a £100 cap until April, and then charged at the full rate, subject to means-tested adjustments.

Cllr Jose Compton, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for adult social care, said: “It is council policy to charge full cost for services provided but until now, many adult social care services have continued to be offered at subsidised rates.

“Some respondents (to a consultation) expressed concerns about how customers will afford to pay for care but we can offer reassurance that financial assessments will be carried out for all existing and future customers.

“This will enable us to ensure our most vulnerable residents continue to get the support they need at a cost they can afford.”