We are seeking your views on a proposal to introduce a charge of £150 to cover the cost of work carried out by the council when residents move into a care home on a permanent basis.
Who will it affect?
This may affect any resident who has a property and goes into permanent care. It will not affect anyone who has a temporary stay in a care home. It will only apply to residents who have their care funded by Nottinghamshire County Council not those who have entered a care home under a private arrangement. The charge will not be backdated and it will only be applicable to residents who enter permanent care from April 2012.
What is the charge for?
If you own a property when you go into care, the value of the property can be taken into account when working out how much you need to pay towards your care. In most cases this would mean that the full cost of the care is payable.
The council only charges the amount you can afford to pay from your income and savings until the property is sold. The council makes sure that the full amount of charges is paid when the property is sold, by placing a legal charge on the property.
This involves a lot of staff time to administer and costs which the council currently absorbs. The main costs are:
How much will it cost?
It currently costs the council a minimum of £200 for each assessment undertaken. The council only wants to introduce a flat rate charge or £150.00 to partially recover costs. A flat rate fee is the easiest and cheapest way to charge for these costs and is simple to understand.
What happens next?
The consultation ends on 4 May 2012. All responses received will be considered by the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care Health and Public Protection, who will decide whether or not to recommend the introduction of the charge to Full Council.
