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Introduction

In this section

  1. 1
    Introduction
  2. 2
    Legal Context
  3. 3
    Policy Scope
  4. 4
    Personal Budgets
  5. 5
    When will charges apply
  6. 6
    How to pay
  7. 7
    Exceptions from charging
  8. 8
    Providing information and advice
  9. 9
    The Financial Assessment
  10. 10
    How we complete financial assessments
  11. 11
    Light Touch Financial Assessments
  12. 12
    Refusal to complete the financial assessment
  13. 13
    Where people lack mental capacity
  14. 14
    Nursing care and funding support from the NHS
  1. 15
    Safeguarding
  2. 16
    Carers
  3. 17
    Charging for care and support in settings other than a care home
  4. 18
    Charging for care and support in a care home
  5. 19
    Appeals and Waivers
  6. 20
    Debt Recovery
  7. 21
    Implementation and monitoring
  8. 22
    Appendix 1 - Definitions
  9. 23
    Appendix 2 - Capital, income and tariff income
  10. 24
    Appendix 3 - The Minimum Income Guarantee and PEA figures (2025/2026)
  11. 25
    Appendix 4 -Disability Related Expenditure (DRE)
  12. 26
    Appendix 5 - Review and Appeal Process for Adult Social Care Financial Services
  13. 27
    Policy Details

1.1    Gloucestershire County Council (we/the council) provide adult social care services under the Care Act 2014 (The Care Act) and Regulations under the Care Act for:

  • People who as a result of a disability, illness or mental ill health, may need help with everyday activities to stay independent and safe, and

  • Their carers

Click here to download a copy of the policy: ASC-Fairer-Contributions-Policy.pdf

1.2    The Care Act 2014 provides a single framework for charging for care and support. It enables councils to decide whether or not to charge a person when arranging to meet the person’s care and support needs or a carer’s support needs. If a council decides to charge, it must follow the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) regulations and have regard to the statutory guidance, including the areas of discretion.

1.3    The aim of this policy is to ensure when the council charges for adult social care it will:

  • ensure that people are not charged more than is reasonable for them to pay
  • be comprehensive, to reduce variation in the way people are assessed and charged
  • be clear and transparent, so people know what they will be charged
  • promote wellbeing, social inclusion, and support the vision of individualisation, independence, choice and control
  • support careers to look after their own health and wellbeing and to care effectively and safely
  • be individual-focused, reflecting the variety of care and caring journeys and the variety of options available to meet needs 
  • apply the charging rules equally so those with similar needs or services are treated the same and minimise anomalies between different care settings 
  • encourage and enable those who wish to stay in or take up employment, education, or training, or plan for future costs of meeting their needs to do so
  • continue to be sustainable for the council in the long term. 

1.4    The statutory guidance requires local authority to consult people with care and support needs when deciding how to exercise its discretion. You can find out more on the council’s 2024 consultation and equalities impact assessment here:

Delegated Decisions

In this policy, where the term ‘representative’ is used it refers to someone in a legal position to support and manage a person’s finances. This includes:

  • A Registered Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Finances
  • Enduring Power of Attorney
  • Court-Appointed deputy
  • DWP Appointee

1.6    The definition of some words and phrases used in this policy can be found in Appendix 1.

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