APPENDIX C

 

 

SOCIAL SERVICES & HOUSING DIRECTORATE

 

FAIRER CHARGING POLICY QUESTIONNAIRE

 

 

The Government has asked all councils to look at the way they charge people for services they receive to help them stay at home, e.g. home care, day care.  This is to make sure that we are charging people fairly and do not leave anyone with a very low income.

 

However much we charge for services in the future, no one will be left with less than the basic level of Income Support plus a further 25%, currently £122.70 per week for a single pensioner.

Your views and opinions are important to us and help us to make the right decisions about the services we provide.

 

We would like you to help us decide how we charge people for their care services in the future.  You can do this by answering the following questions. The Council’s proposals for each question are shown in italics. If you have any questions or problems in completing this questionnaire, please contact:

 

Name………………………….

 

Office………………………….   Tel No……………………….

 

1.   FAIR TO CHARGE?…

 

We charge for services so that we can provide support to more people in their homes, or to develop new or better services.

 

With this in mind, do you agree that it is fair to charge a reasonable amount for care services that are provided.

 

Strongly Agree                 

Agree                                

Disagree                            

Strongly Disagree             

 

 

Text Box: The Council spends all of the income raised from charges on providing more services for people and if we did not, it would not be possible to help everyone who needs it. The Council proposes to continue charging for services.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Please give any comments below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.   AMOUNT OF SERVICE?…     

 

Which of the following do you think is the best way to decide how to charge people for their services?

 

a)    Charged according to the amount of services received.

 

b)    Charged according to the amount of income you have left (after allowances) and NOT taking into account the amount of service received.

 

c)    A charge, taking into account both the amount of service received and the amount of income (after allowances).

 

Please state your preferred option:

 

A        

B        

C        

 

 

Text Box: The Council proposes to charge people by taking account of both their ability to pay and amount of service received.
 


 

 

 

 

 

 

         

 

 

Please give any comments below:

 

 

 

 

 

3.   MAXIMUM CHARGE?…

 

We can decide to have a maximum amount that we charge someone for their care service.  This may be the full cost of the care, if their income is great enough, but must be less than the cost of care in a residential home.

 

Do you agree there should be a maximum amount that anyone should pay?

 

Yes                                         No           

 

What do you think is the maximum amount anyone should have to pay towards the cost of their care providing they can afford it?

 

a)        50%        of the cost of residential care      

b)        75%         of the cost of residential care      

c)        100%       of the cost of residential care      

Text Box: The Council is committed to helping people to remain in their own homes where this is possible and proposes setting a maximum charge of 75% of the lowest rate of residential care charges (£240 p.w.), which would mean that no-one would pay more than £180 per week. . It should be noted that to pay £180 per week in charges would mean that a Service User would have weekly disposable income of at least £100 per week and more than 20 hours of service each week. The maximum charge for most people will be considerably lower.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Please give any comments below:

 

 

 

 

4.   EXPENSES RELATED TO DISABILITY…

 

 

Some people will use their disability benefits to help pay for their care.  In these cases, we will make an allowance for extra costs associated with the disability, e.g. extra heating costs, special diets, equipment etc.

 

Do you agree that a similar allowance should also be made for people with a disability, illness or frailty who do not receive disability benefits?

 

Yes                         No   

 

 

 

Text Box: The Council proposes that it be offered to all Service Users whether they have the benefits or not. This is because we will be helping Service Users to claim benefits that they may be entitled to.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Please give any comments below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.   SAVINGS?…

 

 

Some people will be better off because of their savings.  Should those people with more savings have to pay the full cost of their care services?

 

Strongly agree                  

Agree                                

Disagree                            

Strongly disagree             

 

 

Text Box: The Council proposes to charge the full cost of its home care service, but not its day care service, to people who have savings above the capital limit.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Please give any comments below:

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire.  Please return it in the pre-paid envelope provided.