Guides and Information

Paying for Care and Support Factsheet

• You or your relative/representative should contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to let them know about your circumstances.  This should ensure that you are receiving the benefits you are entitled to.
• You should complete the necessary forms and return them with the relevant documents.
• You have 15 working days to complete and return the form with the supporting documents.
• A 10 day extension can be arranged if you are finding it difficult to provide all the required information.  Please use the contact details at the bottom of this factsheet to discuss an extension.  If the form is not completed within 25 working days we will produce a full cost assessment for the residential placement.
• PLEASE NOTE there will be a delay between the start of your service and your first invoice.  This is due to the time period allowed for the return of your completed financial form with supporting documentation and also the PCC invoice run which is done every four weeks.  While you are awaiting the outcome of your financial assessment it is important for you to ensure you have enough funds to settle the first invoice which will include charges from the day the service started..

 

If you are finding it difficult to complete the form or understand this process or provide the supporting documents, please contact us using the contact details at the bottom of this factsheet.

You can also ask someone to help you such as:

• Representative (family, friend, power of attorney, advocate, solicitor)
• 3CIPA who provide a free Independent Professional Advocacy service, Tel No 0800 206 1387,    Email: info@cipawales.org.uk
• Citizens Advice Bureau, Tel No: 01437 806070 (local advice line number) / 01437 767936 (Haverfordwest Answerphone) / 01646 623104 (Pembroke Dock Answerphone)

 

You should receive a form from a health or social care professional who has assessed you for care and support.  If you do not receive a form, please ask them for one or contact us using the details provided at the bottom of this factsheet.
 

If we do not receive your form and documents within the specified timescale, we may apply the maximum charge for non-residential services or full cost for residential services.  If you are finding it difficult to provide the information within this timescale, please contact us using the contact details at the bottom of this factsheet.
 

We use information provided on your financial form to do a financial assessment for you.  This tells us how much you should be paying for care and support each week.  We confirm details provided by checking the supporting documents you provide and contacting the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

We only use the value of income and capital that you have a right to.  This means if you share a property or investment with someone else, we will only take your share into account when we do the financial assessment.
 

Regulations and policies set out some disregards and allowances that are applied.  These will differ depending on whether you are receiving a non-residential or a residential service.  Some of these are:

• Mobility benefits may be disregarded.
• A number of compensation schemes and awards may be disregarded.
• Housing related costs – your portion of i.e. Rent, Mortgage and Council Tax may be deducted from your total income.
• Savings Credits up to £5.75 per week will be not be counted.
• Residential - Minimum Income Amount (Personal Allowance) – Regulations set this amount each year and it is disregarded from your total income.
• Residential Long Term - 12-week property disregard (See the property question below.)
• Non-residential - People receiving Pension Credit Guarantee (Income Support) will be allowed an extra 45% on top of this before their income is counted.
• Non-residential - The house you live in will not be counted.
• Capital limits are applied before determining whether to charge full cost. 

 

Income is the money you earn from working or that you receive as pension, benefits or interest paid on investments.
 

Capital is usually a range of savings, investments and property.
 

• If you are going into a care home for less than 12 months, the value of your share of the property will be disregarded in your financial assessment.
• 12-week property disregard - When you go into residential care for a long term/permanent placement (12 months+), the value of your share of the property will not be included in your assessment for the first 12 weeks that you are in the care home.  This property disregard can only be applied to the first 12 weeks that you are in a care home on a long term/permanent placement.
• The value of your share of the property will also be disregarded if it is continuously occupied from before you go into the care home, by a relative who is:
• (1) Aged 60 or over, OR
• (2) Is a child of the resident aged under 18, OR
• (3) Is incapacitated.
• If you do not want to sell your share of your property when you first go into the care home, you may be eligible for a deferred payment agreement.

 

• You may be eligible for a deferred payment agreement if you own a property. 
• If your application for a deferred payment is successful, then you can defer a portion of your weekly charge against the value of your property. 
• You will still have to pay the portion of the full cost weekly charge that is not deferred. 
• We will place a legal charge against your property which will remain in place until any deferred debt is settled. 
• You will continue to defer a portion of your charge until your total capital (which includes the value of your share in the property) depletes to below the national capital limit. 

 

From 6 April 2023:

• Savings Credits disregard – up to £5.75 per week
• Non-Residential Capital Limit - £24,000.00 per year
• Non-Residential Weekly Maximum Charge - £100.00
• Residential Capital Limit - £50,000.00 per year
• Residential Minimum Income Amount - £39.50 per week

 

• Your weekly care charge is based on income and capital over the capital limit.
• We calculate how much of the weekly charge is based on income and how much is based on the capital.
• Your capital depletes on a weekly basis by the capital portion of your charge.
• Example: £500.00 per week, where the income portion is £200.00 and the capital portion is £300.00.  Each week £300.00 will be deducted from the total value of your capital.
• When the value of your capital reaches the capital limit, you will be reassessed and a charge based only on your income will be applied.  In the example above this means you will pay £200.00 and we will absorb the balance of the cost of the care home.

 

• Some services are provided free of charge up to a maximum number of weeks.  However, the number of weeks provided will depend on your assessed needs.  After the agreed initial period you will have a review.  If you require further care and support then the appropriate charge will apply.
• For chargeable services, the charge will depend on your financial circumstances.  This is why it is important that you complete and return the appropriate financial form.
• For an Interim-awaiting domiciliary care bed, your charges will be based on the number of domiciliary care hours identified as part of your integrated assessment.  The national weekly maximum will apply.  However, after 8 weeks the care and support must be reviewed and charges will be applied depending on the service needed. 
• For non-residential chargeable services, there is a national weekly maximum charge.  Even if your financial assessment shows you can pay the full cost of the service, you will only be charged the weekly maximum.
• For residential chargeable services, there is a capital limit.  If your capital is above this amount then you will pay the full weekly cost of your placement until your capital is depleted to below the capital limit.
• Unless it has been agreed that you will receive full CHC (Continuing Health Care Funding), you will always have to contribute towards a care home placement.  This includes nursing placements because these are only partially funded by health.
• If you are choosing a direct payment then the charge you pay is known as a contribution.  This contribution is worked out according to your financial circumstances.  The weekly contribution will be deducted from the weekly direct payment amount you have been awarded.  You will be paid the net amount.
• S117 relates to after care services that may be needed following discharge from, or to prevent readmission to, a mental health facility.  Other non-related services may be charged for.

 

• You will be charged from the day your service starts.
• If you receive a free service and then go on to receive a chargeable service, you will be charged from the day your chargeable service starts.
• You will have to pay after you receive the first invoice.
• You will be invoiced every 4 weeks.

 

• We can set up a Direct Debit for you.
• Over the phone.
• Online through the Pembrokeshire County Council Website using the ‘My Account’ facility.
• You can set up a stop order with your bank.
• You can pay be cheque using the most recent invoice number as a reference.
• You can pay in our customer service centres using your most recent invoice.

 

• If you are having difficulty paying for your care and support, then please get in touch with us.
• Regulations set out a debt recovery process for more details please contact our debt recovery officer. 

 

• If you think your charge has not been worked out properly or you feel your circumstances are special you can ask to appeal against your charge.
• Requests for an appeal should be made to the Debt Recovery Officer.

 

• If you feel you need different care and support then you may need to be referred to social services for an assessment.  Please ring our contact centre
• If your financial circumstances have changed then please contact us using the contact details at the bottom of this factsheet to give us your updated information.  We will then do a new financial assessment for you.

 

• Pembrokeshire County Council Contact Centre - 01437 764551
• If your needs change and you think you need to be referred to Social Services.
• If your financial circumstances change and you want to notify us or if you have a query about the form or supporting documents.  Ask for the Social Services Financial Assessments Team.
• If you want to pay an invoice by phone.
  
  
• Social Services Assessments Team - 01437 775611
• If your financial circumstances change and you want to notify us or if you have a query about the form or supporting documents
  
  
• Social Services Debt Recovery Officer - 01437 776088
• If you want information on or to apply for a deferred payment.
• If you want to discuss outstanding debt.
• If you want to request a review of your assessed charge.