Charging Policy (Social Services)
Paying for Social Services under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.
This policy has been produced in accordance with the legal requirements set out in The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 ("the Act") and sets out City and County of Swansea's position on charging for social services.
City and County of Swansea's Charging Policy (Social Services) provides detail on:
- The changes under the Welsh Government's national charging framework
- Our approach and the key principles behind the charges
- How different types of services and support are charged/ not charged for
- How changes will impact on community based service, residential care, direct payments, child and family services, respite care and other services
- How any discretion given to Local Authorities is applied in practice, including deferred payment agreements
- Financial assessment processes, including reviews and appeals
- List of charges that apply from April (Appendix 1)
Annual Review of Charges (Social Services) 2022 / 2023
Annual Review of Charges 2022 / 2023 Appendix A
List of Swansea Council Charges 2024 - 2025 (Appendix 1)
These are the amounts clients will be charged for social care services, subject to any limits on the maximum charge specified by Welsh Government.
1a. Residential Care and Support Services (council)
The Council's in-house residential care service delivers a high quality service for individuals with complex needs, and also offer placements for residential reablement and respite care.
The charges shown below are for the council-run care homes only and are only indicative of the average weekly costs of care and support, as some individuals may have additional needs to be identified and charged accordingly.
All charges for residential care are means tested. Residents may only be required to pay a contribution towards the total weekly cost. In certain circumstances, residents may be required to pay the full cost of residential care.
Charges for Services per category | Weekly charges in 2023/24 | Weekly charges in 2024/25 | % Increase/ Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
Council owned residential care homes | |||
Elderly care | £708.02 | £750.50 | 6% |
Dementia Care | £708.02 | £750.50 | 6% |
Learning Disabilities | £1855.24 | £1966.55 | 6% |
Mental Health | £1855.24 | £1966.55 | 6% |
Younger Adults | £1855.24 | £1966.55 | 6% |
1b. Residential Care and Support Service (Private Homes)
Charges for residential care are means tested. Residents may only be required to pay a contribution towards the total weekly cost. In certain circumstances, residents may be required to pay the full cost of residential care.
The costs shown below for privately owned care homes are indicative of the weekly costs at care homes, which accept the Council's usual rates. Some homes may charge more.
Charges for Services per category | Weekly charges in 2023/24 | Weekly charges in 2024/25 | % Increase/ Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
Privately owned care homes | |||
Residential Care | |||
Older persons | £800 | £848 | 6% |
Mental Health | £800 | £848 | 6% |
Learning Disabilities | £800 | £848 | 6% |
Younger Adults | £800 | £848 | 6% |
Nursing care | |||
Older persons | £838 | £888 | 6% |
Mental Health | £838 | £888 | 6% |
Learning Disabilities | £838 | £888 | 6% |
Dementia Nursing Care | £884 | £937 | 6% |
Younger Adults | £838 | £888 | 6% |
1d. Short Term Residential Care
Short term residential care is defined as:
- Planned respite (where the admission / discharge dates are known prior to admission eg: whilst family members go on holiday)
- Reablement (supporting people to be independent)
- Step up/ down beds either chargeable from Day 1 or Day 15.
Step up / Step down
Where no social work assessment has taken place there is no contribution for the individual to pay for the first two weeks of the placement. This is to allow sufficient time for the assessment to be conducted to identify the long term need.
Step Up - Admission to a care home from the community
Pathway | Type of charge | Effective: |
|---|---|---|
Assessment needed | Free | First two weeks of placement |
Long term care (awaiting a home of choice) | Residential rates | Date of assessment or week 3 (whichever is the later) |
Discharge to community (awaiting a package of care) | Non-Residential rates | Date of assessment or week 3 (whichever is the later) |
Step Down - Hospital discharge
Pathway | Type of charge | Effective: |
|---|---|---|
Assessment needed | Free | First two weeks of placement |
Long term care | Residential rates | Date of assessment or week 3 (whichever is the later) |
Discharge to community (awaiting a package care) | Non-Residential rates | Date of assessment or week 3 (whichever is the later) |
Where individuals have received an assessment prior to admission the individual will be required to pay a contribution towards their placement from Day 1.
Examples of where this would occur are:
Pathway | Type of Charge | Effective from |
|---|---|---|
Temporary admission to care home for house repairs | Residential | Day 1 |
Assessment actioned in hospital and moved to a temporary care home awaiting care home of choice | Residential | Day 1 |
Temporary admission to care home as domiciliary care package has failed | Non-residential | Day 1 |
Assessment actioned in hospital and temporarily moved to a care home awaiting a domiciliary care package | Non-residential | Day 1 |
Planned Respite / Reablement
Type of Short Term Care | Pathway | Type of charge | Effective from |
|---|---|---|---|
Planned Respite | - | Non-residential (max £100) | Date of admission to care home |
Reablement | Reablement bed | Free | Up to 6 weeks |
Discharge to community | Non-residential (max £100) | From date of assessment | |
Long term placement | Residential charge | From date of assessment |
2. Non-residential, community-based care and support services
- Domiciliary Care - is care in the client's home provided by a private sector provider
- Home Care - is care in the client's home provided by the council
Charges for Services | Charges in 2023/24 | Charges in 2024/25 | % Increase/ Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
Means tested up to the maximum standard charge as outlined in the categories below | |||
Home Care | |||
Domiciliary Care or Home Care, including respite at home, supported living | £21.84 per hour | £23.16 per hour | 6% |
Day Services Older People | |||
Older Persons Day Services | £50.82 per day | £53.86 per day | 6% |
| Day Services Younger Adults | |||
| Younger Adults/ Special Needs Day Services | £63.56 per day | £67.36 per day | 6% |
3. Flat rate charges for other services provided by Swansea Council
These social care charges for the council run services are discretionary and are not subject to a means test or a maximum charge.
| Charges for services | Charges in 2023/24 | Charges in 2024/25 | % Increase/ Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
Community Alarms (Lifelines) | £165.88 exclusive of VAT £199 inclusive of VAT | £175.83 exclusive of VAT £211 inclusive of VAT | 6% |
Meals (within community-based, day services) | £4.46 /day | £4.73 /day | 10% |
Court of Protection Deputyship | Court of Protection Deputyship charges as set in law by the Ministry of Justice | Court of Protection Deputyship charges as set in law by the Ministry of Justice |
|
Pre Deputy support charge | £5 per week | £5 per week | No change |