Decision details

Following consideration at the Cabinet meeting on 10 November 2015 of a review of local discretionary charging under the Care Act 2014 and arrangements regarding the Disabled Facilities Grant scheme, the Cabinet will be asked to consider the outcome of consultation and engagement with stakeholders and agree:

(i)  revisions to Care and Support Charging Policy in respect of new areas of discretionary charging;

(ii) the introduction of a property charge on those awarded with a Disabled Facilities Grant in line with the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Adopt the revised Care and Support Charging Policy attached at Appendix 1 to the report which would mean that with effect from April 2016:

(a)   The same amount of Disability Related Expenditure (DRE) disregard shall be applied to all service users when assessing the amount they contribute to their care.

(b)  The new DRE disregarded amounts of £5, £15 or £25 shall be phased in as disability benefit rates are uplifted.

(ii)  Agree to the principle of charging for care and support services provided to carers who meet the eligibility criteria for services in their own right but that no changes be introduced for the 2016/17 financial year; and

(iii)  Agree the introduction of a scheme, in accordance with the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, whereby some or all of a Disabled Facilities Grant may be recoverable via the placing of a local land charge where a person in receipt of a grant has a financial interest in the property, in line with the conditions set out in paragraphs 6.4 and 6.5 of the report and with effect from April 2016.