Charging For Care

What you need to know about contributions towards social care

28 March 2022

Anxiety about the cost of living is very high at the moment and can make receiving mail from Reading Borough Council about financial contributions for social care a concern. Reading Borough Council have informed us they will be sending out their annual mailing as a result of changes to rates of benefit and social care charging. There is no getting away from the fact that financial charging for care is complex, raises strong emotions, and it is not surprising lots of people get very worried about it. 

Key points to remember about charging for care

Adult Social Care at Reading Borough Council have a duty to meet the person’s assessed needs identified in the social care assessment or review. That does not change because of charging and payment issues. Social care should not stop or be reduced because of care contribution issues. 

People should not be charged more than they can afford to pay. People using social care must always be left with the minimum income guarantee to live on after financial contributions are paid.  

It is only the person needing the social care whose finances can be assessed. Carer’s finances are private and cannot be taken into account. 

Reading Borough Council have processes and procedures for people struggling to pay, or where people don’t agree with their assessed financial contribution. Our Family Support Team can support you to access them. 

Worries about the cost of the care needed by people to live safe and good lives can lead to people stopping or reducing their essential care and support. This should never be necessary and would mean the system has completely failed. Please get advice before taking that decision. 

Making sure people’s needs are identified and included in care assessments and reviews is essential to ensuring care and support is effective AND affordable. Our Family Support Team can support you with this process.  

The Family Support Team do their best to respond as quickly as possible to requests for support, and always prioritise emergencies. We would be grateful if you would give us as much notice as possible that the annual review process or a new assessment process is about to begin, if you would like to access our support.  

Call 0118 966 2518 to access support from a Family Adviser.

 

Understanding charging

If you are going through the financial assessment process for the first time (or you want a reminder), Reading Borough Council’s Disability Related Expenditure Guide will help you understand more about how the Council will assess you to see if you should contribute towards the cost of your social care.

The Council’s Financial Assessment Team are the first point of contact for queries on the financial assessment process. Their contact details are as follows:

Financial Assessments and Benefits (FAB) Team:

Tel: 0118 937 3724

Email: fab.team@reading.gov.uk

Secure webform: www.reading.gov.uk/contactfab

If you are still not satisfied contact the Complaints Officer as follows:

Customer Relations Team

Tel: 0118 937 2905

Email: socialcarecomplaints@reading.gov.uk

Who else can help?

You can also contact your local voluntary organisation who are there to help. One of us will be able to help, especially if you want independent information, advice, support or advocacy:

Reading Mencap, Family Support Service, including casework and home visiting

21 Alexandra Road, Reading RG1 5PE.

Tel: 0118 9663518

Email: office@readingmencap.org.uk website: www.readingmencap.org.uk

CommuniCare, Information & Advice Service including home visiting

233 Kings Road, Reading, RG1 4LS
Tel: 0118 926 3941

office@communicare.org.uk website: www.communicare.org.uk

Age UK Berkshire, Information & Advice Service

Huntley House, 119 London Street, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 4QA
Tel: 0118 959 4242

Email: info@ageukberkshire.org.uk website: www.ageuk.org.uk