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Charges for community care services in your own home or at a day centre

Why does the council charge for community care services?

If, as part of your community care package, you receive a service either in your own home or at a day centre, you may have to pay towards the cost.

Haringey Council has only a limited amount of money to pay for community care services. To make sure that this money can be used to provide as many services as possible, the council asks those people who can afford it to pay towards the cost of the services they receive. Our charging policy takes account of statutory guidance issued by the Government called Fairer charging policies for home care and other non-residential social services.

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How much will I have to pay?

Most people will only pay a contribution towards the cost of their services. The rest will be paid for by the council. The charging policy applies in full for all new service users and you will have to pay a contribution from the third Monday after you start to receive a service.

If you receive Pension Credit or basic Income Support and Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance for care you will probably not pay more than £33 to £44 per week. If you have a private pension or other income, you may have to pay more than this. Anyone with savings above £22,250 will be liable for the full charge of their care package up to a maximum of £450 per week.

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What if I have a low income?

If you have a low income, for example, if you only receive Pension Credit or basic Income Support, you will normally not have to pay a contribution. If you have income above this basic level, you may have to pay a contribution towards the cost of your services.

When we are working out how much you will have to pay, we will check to make sure you are getting all the welfare benefits you may be entitled to. You may find that you can claim additional benefits to help pay towards the cost of your care.

If you wish, we will help you to claim your full benefit entitlement and this extra money can be used to make a contribution towards the cost of your services. You may end up with more money than you had before.

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If I need more services in the future, will my charge go up?

You will only be asked to pay what we think you are able to afford. In most cases, the amount of service you receive will not affect your charge. Your charge will never be more than the cost of the services you receive.

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If I do not receive a service, for example, if I go into hospital, will I still have to pay?

If you do not receive a service for any reason, and the total cost of your care in that week reduces below the amount you are required to pay, we will adjust your charge accordingly. You can find more information on the following page:

Going into hospital

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Are there charges for other services?

Many services are provided free of charge to residents. For some other community care services, for example, meals on wheels, there is a flat rate charge. Residential, nursing home and respite care charges are calculated separately.

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How do I give you the information you need to work out my charge?

We will help you to complete a financial assessment form either in your own home or at our office. If you wish, this form can be sent to you to complete and send back to us.

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How will I know how much I have to pay?

Using the information you give us, we will calculate your charge and send you a statement. The statement will tell you how much you will have to pay each week, the start date of the charge and how it was calculated.

Your charge will begin from the third Monday after you start to receive a service. You should put some money aside until you receive your first invoice which will include details about how and where to pay.

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What happens if my circumstances change?

If your circumstances change you should notify the Finance Assessment Team immediately and we will tell you whether or not this will affect your charge. If your charge changes we will send you a revised statement and amend your next invoice. If you receive extra income as a result of a successful welfare benefit claim this could increase your charge. If this happens we will backdate the revised charge to the date you became entitled to the extra income.

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What if I think the charge is wrong?

If you think we have made a mistake you can challenge the decision. You can use the appeals process, which is explained in the leaflet called Queries and Appeals. The Council will continue to provide services throughout the appeal process. Visit the following web pages to find out more about how we work out your charges, and how you can appeal if you think it is the wrong amount: