Agenda item

To consider a report of the Director of Social Services updating the Board on the impact of price increases on service users.

Further to Minute No. 99, 8^th April 2009, the Director of Adult Social Services submitted a detailed and comprehensive report updating the Board on the impact on service users of the introduction, in April 2009, of the revised contributions policy for non-residential services supplied to adults across the City.

In attendance at the meeting and responding to Members’ queries and comments were:-

·  Dennis Holmes, Deputy Director (Strategic Commissioning).

·  Ann Hill, Financial Manager, Adult Social Care.

In brief summary, the main points of discussion were:-

·  Under the Government’s new guidelines, Attendance Allowance, which was a non-taxable benefit, was taken into account as income when calculating a service user’s contribution towards the costs of the service they were provided with, thereby effectively taxing it.

It was explained that the authority had no discretion in this matter – it was clear in the national guidelines that this was, indeed, the case.  However, some of the effects of this were offset by the fact that certain income and outgoings were ignored in making the calculation, such as water rates, excess fuel allowance, stair lift maintenance and laundry allowance.

The Chair indicated that she would pursue this issue outside of the Board.

·  The large variation between the initial projections of the effect of the changes and the actual numbers of users affected.

It was explained that, at the outset of the process, the Department held very little actual information on service users’ capital assets on which it could base its calculation.  Obviously, now that this situation had changed, future projections should be more accurate.  Although there was, in some cases, large variations between projected and actual numbers, the impact on service users was marginal, involving, in most cases, customers moving one charging column up or down.  The Department’s original estimate of £2m in additional income had been remarkably accurate, the projected figure being £1.9m;

·  Currently, the Department re-calculated payments on an annual basis, or when service users notified the Department of a change in circumstances.  The Department carried out accuracy spot checks on accounts and also had ‘shadowing’ arrangements in place in respect of home visiting staff to spot check that the work was being carried out properly.  Currently, the Department did not spot check random cases for review, the emphasis and onus being on service users to notify any significant change in their circumstances;

·  In terms of consistency of the application of the rules by home visitors, in addition to their training and the previously referred to ‘shadowing’ arrangements, home visiting staff were also encouraged to refer queries, or anything they were unsure of, to their team leader so that this degree of consistency could, as far as possible, be applied.  Home visiting staff also looked out for any obvious signs or concerns surrounding abuse or financial exploitation of service users;

·  The issue of service users being unwilling, for whatever reason, to discuss their financial affairs with the Department’s staff was also discussed.  Unfortunately, once service users had been advised of the nature of the system, if they, or their carer or relatives, were still unwilling to co-operate, then the Department had no choice but to apply the maximum charge.  The Department was not implementing the charging policy to raise income for the sake of it, but to plough back into increased and improved services.

RESOLVED – That, subject to the above comments, the report be received and noted.

(NB:  At the conclusion of this item, at 11.00 am, the Board observed a two minute silence in commemoration of Armistice Day.)