Issue - meetings

[To approve the implementation of a charge to customers for whom Adult Social Care Act as Corporate Appointee for the Department of Work and Pensions benefit claiming purposes]

1.       That the implementation of a charge to individuals for whom Adult Social Care is the Corporate Appointee for Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits claiming be approved.

2.       That the following Appointeeship charge for individuals who have a balance of more than £1,000 in their account following the deduction of their usual monthly expenditure be approved:

·         £5.00 per week for individuals living in the community

·         £3.00 per week for individuals residing in a care home

3.       That a review be undertaken of the charge in 12 months after implementation to assess its impact on the level of demand.

4.       That the comments of the Adult and Safer City Scrutiny Panel on the proposed changes be noted.

Councillor Louise Miles presented the report on a proposal to implement a charge for the Corporate Appointeeship Service delivered by the Customer Finance Team to vulnerable Adult Social Care customers in receipt of Social Security benefits who lacked capacity to manage their financial affairs.  The provision of an Appointeeship Service was not a statutory duty for local authorities, but the Care Act 2014 does state that Local Authorities should provide ‘information and advice on the Court of Protection, Power of Attorney and becoming a Deputy’. The proposal aimed to ensure the delivery of support for individuals in need at a reasonable cost and enabling a sustainable Appointeeship Service which was working towards self-funding.

Resolved:

1.     That the implementation of a charge to individuals for whom Adult Social Care is the Corporate Appointee for Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits claiming be approved.

2.     That the following Appointeeship charge for individuals who have a balance of more than £1,000 in their account following the deduction of their usual monthly expenditure be approved:

·         £5.00 per week for individuals living in the community

·         £3.00 per week for individuals residing in a care home

3.     That a review be undertaken of the charge in 12 months after implementation to assess its impact on the level of demand.

4.     That the comments of the Adult and Safer City Scrutiny Panel on the proposed changes be noted.