Bath & North East Somerset Council is proposing to introduce a Care and Support Charging and Financial Assessment Framework. This will change some of the ways in which the council will allocate its resources and calculate the charges people will pay. The council faces continued financial pressures due to the increase in the demand for its services at the same time as managing the reduction in funding that it receives from central government. The increase in demand is as a result of an increase in older population, improvements to healthcare services and people living longer, some of whom have complex needs and need care for longer. The council wants to ensure that it continues to protect the most vulnerable people in the community and by implementing the Care and Support Charging and Financial Assessment Framework it will allocate funding to meet people’s needs.

The council currently supports around 2,100 people who are in need of adult social care services both in care homes and at home. Care and support services are chargeable and there are clear guidelines for all councils which are set out in the Care Act 2014 about how this should be carried out. However some charging decisions are at the discretion of the council for example, Disability Related Expenditure. The Council wants to hear from as many people as possible, including individuals with care needs, carers and their families, agencies, social workers and anyone who has an interest in adult social care across Bath and North East Somerset.

The consultation will run from the 24th September until 3rd December 2019.

More details can be found here www.bathnes.gov.uk/cas-charging-consultation and a hard copy of the consultation documents at the council’s one stop shops and libraries.