Care Act 2014 - Croydon London Borough Council Act...Changes from April 2015 The Rules and...
Transcript of Care Act 2014 - Croydon London Borough Council Act...Changes from April 2015 The Rules and...
The Care Act 2014
Learning Disability Partnership Board
Paul Heynes – 27 January 2015
Introduction
I have been invited to come and talk
to you about the Care Act 2014 that
the Government has written.
What is the Care Act?
• The Care Act became law on 14 May 2014
• It is a new law about care and support
for adults in England.
What is the Care Act?
The reason for the Care Act is because:
We have lots of different laws on care and
support. This makes it difficult to know
what care and support you could get.
The Care Act will bring them together to make
just one new law.
What is the Care Act?
• The new Care Act deals with many of the
recommendations made by the Dilnot
Commission into the funding of adult social
care.
• Some changes are brand new and will
have a big effect.
What is the Care Act?
• Local Councils are finalising the details on
the changes to funding of care and support.
• The Council will check to see how much
money you have and ask you to pay for what
you can afford.
What is the Care Act?
The new rules will be introduced in two
stages.
• Local councils will have to introduce what
the Care Act says from April 2015.
• The main impact of the funding change
will start from April 2016.
Changes from April 2015
The Rules and Guidelines tells Councils about:
• A national eligibility criteria for adult social care.
This means that there will be the same standard
that every Council in the country has to follow when
they plan your care.
• The same eligibility criteria will be
used for carers.
April 2015
Changes from April 2015 (continued)
Local councils have a new duty:
• To provide information and advice
to help people choose the right
care and support.
Changes from April 2015 (continued)
Local councils have a new duty of prevention
and wellbeing.
• Prevention: Councils must think about services
that stop problems before they start, or stop them
from getting worse as early as possible.
Changes from April 2015 (continued)
• Well-being: Making life better for you when
the councils make decisions about your care
and support
Changes for April 2015 (continued)
Local councils have a new duty to:
• Set up a payment plan so that people can
delay paying for the costs of their care
and support until a later date.
• Set up a local Safeguarding Adults
Board to help people who need care
and support keep safe.
Changes for April 2015 (continued)
Local councils have a new duty to:
•Find out and understand what you need.
•Shape services that give good local care
and support.
Changes from April 2016
• There will be a consultation on the
regulations and guidelines which will start at
the end of January 2015.
Changes for April 2016
• Introduction of Care Accounts and a Cap system.
Cap is the maximum amount you have to pay for
your care costs.
• The council will check to see how much money
you have and ask you to pay what you can afford.
• The council becomes responsible for the
costs of meeting your eligible care needs
once the Cap has been reached.
Care Account (Cap system)
• The proposed cap is £72,000.00. This
amount will increase every year with cost of
living.
• It is the local authority set cost of care, that
counts towards the Cap, not the level of
personal contribution.
Changes from April 2016
• Extension of the financial means test in residential
care:
– increasing the upper capital threshold for
residential care to £118k
– more people will qualify for local authority
funding
– new duty to provide direct payments for people
in residential care
Care Account (Cap system)
• In addition:
– The first £230 per week of residential costs will
be counted as “daily living costs”. This will not
count towards the Cap and will continue to be
means tested after the Cap is reached;
– Third-party top-ups do not count towards the
Cap;
– It could take up to 4 years (maybe longer) to
reach the Cap.
Thank you!
Paul Heynes
Head of Care Act Implementation Programme
Croydon Council