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