Home Care and Supported Living Charges

Leicestershire’s Adult Social Care Service applies government guidance, known as ‘Fairer Charging’, when assessing charges for Home Care and Supported Living. You will be assessed on your ability to pay a contribution towards your Home Care or Supported Living service and the assessment will be calculated after taking your individual circumstances into account so that the charges will be affordable. The cost of providing Home Care or Supported Living services are subsidised by the Council so you will not be expected to pay the full cost of the service. People on very low incomes will not be expected to pay anything.

How is the Charge Calculated?

You will need to be assessed. When your Home Care or Supported Living service is arranged you will be told how much you will have to pay for your care. The amount is called your temporary assessment and will apply until a Visiting Assessment Officer visits you in order to complete a full assessment and checks that you are receiving all the benefits that you are entitled to. See Full Financial Assessment for Fairer Charging.

What is the maximum that I will have to pay?

You will pay the lower of:

Your temporary or full assessment
The number of hours care that you receive each week multiplied by £8.40.
The maximum weekly charge which is £180.

If you have savings over £22,250 (£44,500 for couples) you will be assessed as being able to pay the maximum charge for your Home Care or Supported Living hours and you will not need to provide details of your income and expenditure.

If the Visiting Assessment Officer completes the assessment using a computer, we will usually be able to tell you what your maximum charge will be at the visit. You will be given a letter and a breakdown of how the charge has been calculated. If your assessment is complex or a form is completed, the Fairer Charging Team at County Hall will assess the charge and write to you to let you know how much you will be charged. The charge will start from the week that the financial assessment is carried out or following the end of a period of free service where this applies to you.

Free Home Care

We may be able to provide a free Home Care Service to you, if you:

Are assessed as not having to pay towards the cost of your care
Have Home Care services under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act
Have Home care as a result of a Child in Need Assessment
Have Home Care as a result of a Carer’s Assessment
Have Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease
Are receiving care at home as an alternative to you being in hospital. This includes active therapy provided by the Health Service.

Paying for Home Care

You can pay online for Home Care.
Home Care can be paid for by direct debit. If this will cause you problems please tell the person who completes your Fairer Charging assessment.

Home Care and Supported Living Charges

further information