Charging Policy Review

This charging policy consultation has now closed. We will share the results of the consultation as soon as we can and publish a report here on the CCG website.

North East Lincolnshire Council is proposing to make some changes to its charging policy for adult care and support (social care) and is asking for people's views on these proposals. 

Why is the council reviewing its Charging Policy?

The Council last reviewed all of its charging policy in 2015.  It needs to review its policy again to make sure that it is helping to meet the needs of local people within the available budget. 

Unlike health services, adult care and support services are not free to access.  The Care Act 2014 sets out the legal basis for means testing access to care and support services.   The law allows councils to recover some of what they spend in meeting people’s needs. This means that:

  • Some people will pay the full cost of their care and support
  • Some people will share the costs of their care and support with the Council
  • Some people will receive their care and support for free. 

How much (if anything) each person will pay is calculated by financial assessment.  The assessment takes into account each person’s financial resources (their money and investments) so no one is asked to pay more than they can afford for the care and support they receive.

The Council wants to make the best use of the money it has available to help local people, but it does not plan to take every opportunity the law allows to make a charge.  For example, it does not currently want to use its right to charge for carers’ services, because it recognises the contribution that carers make to supporting some of the most vulnerable members of the community.  Due to its difficult financial position, the Council does want to consider other proposals to recover costs where it thinks it is fair and reasonable.  These proposals are set out in the following questionnaire.

A final decision will not be made on these proposals until feedback has been received from service users and others.  Where individuals are affected by any decisions made on the proposals, these will be discussed with them at the time of the annual review of their financial assessment; no individual changes will take effect until their assessment.  Please be assured that no one in receipt of care and support services will be charged more than they can afford to pay, in accordance with the law.   

You can access the standard read consultation by clicking on the following link:   https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=157674940814

You can access the easy read consultation by clicking on the following link: https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=157674948636

You can read the current policy (which will be replaced following the end of the consultation) by clicking on the following link: https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Charging-and-Financial-Assessment-for-Adult-Care-and-Support-Services-V3.pdf

You can read what the policy will look like IF all of the items that are being consulted on are included in the policy by clicking DRAFT Policy.  Please note that the content of the policy will not be finalised until the outcome of the consultation is known – the DRAFT policy is only intended to offer an idea of what the policy MIGHT look like. We have published the DRAFT policy because we would like to give people the opportunity to tell us if they language used in it is accessible and easy enough to understand.  If you want to comment on the way the policy is written, please email emmaoverton@nhs.net before 1st April 2020.  

Public events at Grimsby Town Hall

We are hosting some public events which you can attend at Grimsby Town Hall.  At these events we will present the proposals, and give you change to make your views known.  Please select which session suits you best from the following list:

  • Session 1 – 2nd March 2020, 5:30-6:45pm
  • Session 2 – 2nd March 2020, 7:00-8:15pm
  • Session 3 – 11th March 2020, 9:30-10:45am
  • Session 4 – 11th March 2020, 11:00-12:15pm

New Event -  There will also be an event held at Cloverleaf Advocacy 

Thursday 27th February 10:30am -  12 noon 

at the Business and Digital Hub, Nelson Street in Grimsby

We are hoping that the consultation will help us to create a meaningful impact assessment.  Before the Council makes its decisions on whether or not to adopt the proposals that form part of the consultation, it wants to understand the impact on local people.  Information about that impact forms part of an ‘impact assessment’.  You can read a DRAFT of the assessment to date here by clicking DRAFT Impact Assessment.

 If you want to comment on or contribute to the assessment, please email emmaoverton@nhs.net before 1st April 2020.