Supporting People & Extra Care In Salford 8 th June 2005 Julie Dodd - Supporting People Team Sharon Robinson - Charging Assessment Team

Supporting People - implementation Programme to deliver housing-related support Introduced April 2003 – replaced Transitional HB HB regulations defined what THB could pay for 3-year implementation period of opportunity Existing services remodelled New services developed Community Care was paying for some support (accused of cost shunting!)

Supporting People – Steady State Partnership –Housing –Social Services –Health –Probation Commissioning Body – joint commissioning Core Strategy Group – direction and priorities Service reviews – strategic relevance, quality, VFM Commissioning/Decommissioning/Remodelling Fixed budget, access other funding sources Payments

What can Supporting People pay for? ODPM grant conditions What is housing-related support? Local eligibility criteria vary Task-based v Outcomes-based SP should help people to successfully live independently

Housing-related support Eligible (enabling)  Ineligible (doing) General counselling, tenancy supportPersonal care, e.g. dressing, bathing, toileting and feeding Help accessing professionals/servicesSpecialist services, specific counselling Help managing finances, claiming benefits and filling in forms Doing the shopping, going to the bank Ensuring personal safety & security, advice on using equipment, minor repairs Help managing relationships with friends and relatives Prompting/advising/monitoring everyday tasks, e.g. taking medicine, cooking Giving medication, preparing meals

Supporting People services Clients includeLiving Options include Older People People with physical disabilities People with mental health problems People with learning difficulties Ex-offenders People at risk of homelessness People with drug and alcohol problems Young people leaving care Core & Cluster (Extra Care,sheltered) Floating Support Group Home Residential home Adult Placement Emergency accommodation

Paying for Support Short-term services (up to 2 years) –No charge to service users Long-term services –Service users are liable to pay a support charge –Should be identified separately from rent –Charge should be the amount as per SP contract –Support services are free for anyone on Housing Benefit –People not on Housing Benefit can apply for Fairer Charging

Extra Care Issues Long-term service so support charges apply Support services provided to all but personal care services provided only to some Service tailored to needs Needs are as individual as people People “tap in” Distinguishing between care and support Measuring how much care and support How to assess and collect charges

Extra Care Review Group - Remit What should be funded by SP, what falls under Community Care? Activities where guidance is unclear How care/support split is reflected in dependency levels Application of Charging Policy (Care & Support Agreement) Any other issues the group identified How to move to the desired position

Care:Support split Holistic approach to eligibility What is definitely not support? Task list to structure care and support plan (handout) Grey areas –24 hour cover, Waking nights, Moving people to activities Notional percentage split –The problem with care plans –3 dependency levels - what’s the difference between them? –Enabling takes longer than doing Low 100% support Medium 60% support High 40% support Cost calculated on rolled up cost, maximum occupancy at desired profile

Charging Policy Issues Services provided according to assessed need No opting out No Direct Payments 3 rd party carers Optional service charges (laundry, cleaning, lunches) Maximum charges Start and end date of charges Temporary absence Transitional Protection Reassessment of need

Assessing Charges – tenants on Housing Benefit Entitled to Supporting People Subsidy to pay for their support Fill in a Housing Benefit consent form with the provider This is sent to the Supporting People Team: –alerts SP team that someone needs support charge paying –Authorises SP Team to look at Housing Benefit claim –Avoids the service user having to prove they are getting HB Payment sent direct to CSSD Care charges for those in medium or high dependency assessed according to council’s Fairer Charging Policy

Assessing charges – tenants not on Housing Benefit Maybe income too high, savings too high, or an owner-occupier Assessment of charge for care and support under Council’s policy One assessment produces one charge for both care and support Request forms available from provider and sent to the SP Team For those in medium/high level dependency, referral from CSSD Assessment by specialist charging assessor at home Policy based on national Fairer Charging guidance Assessor looks at income, savings, housing costs, disability- related expenses and also carries out a benefit check The charge is calculated there and then using software

Salford’s Fairer Charging policy Charging must not leave a person’s income below Income Support + 25% We don’t apply an upper capital limit (no cliff edge!) We don’t count: –Earnings or work-related tax credits –War Pensions –DLA (mobility component) We do count: –Pensions –Income Support –Disability benefits (except Mobility) We knock off: –housing costs and disability-related spending We only charge 75% of available income

Sharing Information Information for Service Users Care & Support Agreement Provider’s Welcome Pack HB consent form Fairer Charging request form Fairer Charging leaflets Scheme visits Consultation Customer satisfaction research Published Charging Policy Appeals policy Internal Information Sharing Referral routes Shared IT systems Fairer Charging Calculator Client details spreadsheet

Julie DoddSharon Robinson Supporting People TeamCharging Assessor Supervisor Housing ServicesCommunity & Social Services Salford City CouncilSalford City Council Crompton House2 Police Street 100 Chorley RoadSalford Swinton M27 6ESM6 6PL