Buffer removal implementation factsheet
Contents
- Is Adult Social Care free?
- What does it cost to get Community Care Services?
- How will the proposed council tax increase affect my financial assessment?
- Safe and Sound Charges increasing, how much more will I have to pay for those as well?
- What are Community Care Services?
- How does Community Care work?
- Who are Community Care Services for?
- How are Community Care Services accessed?
- Does the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) change?
- What changes are being made?
- What if I do not disclose my financial information?
- What is a self-funder?
- Can someone tell me how much my charge might be before I start receiving support?
- Can you tell me how much more I would need to pay with the removal of the discretionary buffer?
- When would the changes be introduced?
- What are Invoicees, Appointees and Deputies
- What if my provider fails to deliver my services?
- If I reduce my care package will my charge reduce?
- Please could you also clarify the disability related expenses policy?
- What is the threshold for expenses families should we put down for our young people in terms of rent and board when they live supported at home rather than supported living?
- Transport and Financial Assessments
Is Adult Social Care free?
Unlike services on the NHS which are free, Adult Social Care services are means tested.
What does it cost to get Community Care Services?
We undertake an individual Financial Assessment to determine how much you will need to contribute towards the cost of your Community Care Services. Your income, capital and living costs are taken into consideration which determine your contribution towards the cost of your care.
Income and capital
If you have savings or investments (capital) over the current national threshold of £23,250 you will be asked to pay the full cost of care.
If your capital is below £23,250 the council will need to see the full details of your income and capital. This includes for example, building society passbooks, bank statements, share certificates and other income such as rental income or private pension or capital documents. It also includes state benefits such as:
- State Retirement Pension
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit
- Disability benefits
- Pension Credit
- Occupational and private pensions
- Any other income such as: the older benefits that some people may still be in receipt of i.e., Industrial Injuries
Living costs
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) issues a Local Authority Circular each year titled ‘Charging for Care and Support’ which includes details of Minimum Income Guarantee levels (The MIG).
The Minimum Income Guarantee is to cover daily living costs such as:
- food
- clothing
- energy bills
- water rates
- insurance
- leisure activities
- TV licence
- telephone and subscriptions for tv channels
A financial assessment would then be undertaken to determine what a person will need to contribute towards the cost of their care, taking in to account the Minimum Income Guarantee set by the Government.
Disregards
The financial assessments disregards i.e. do not take this income into account:
- some property-related household expenses such rent, mortgage costs, and council tax
- Earnings from employment
- Charitable income
- Winter fuel and cold weather payments
- Statutory sick pay, statutory adoption pay, and statutory maternity pay or allowance.
- The mobility component of disability living allowance or personal independence payment.
- The difference between the lower rate and higher rate of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)/Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – current disregard £35.90pw
- Tax credit
- Maintenance payments specifically relating to a child.
- War pensions
- Guaranteed Income Payments (GIPs) paid under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS)
- Savings Credit Disregards (first £6.95 per week single person)
- War Pension Disregards – in full for non-residential
- Dependent Child Disregard (currently £101.25 per child per week)
- (as mentioned below) Mobility element of disability benefit (currently £28.70 or £75.75)
We make allowances for certain extra expenses you may have because you are disabled. These are called ‘disability-related expenses.’
The financial assessment helps the council to calculate your charge and identify any other benefits that you should be claiming.
In simple terms it is your ‘income’ less your living costs and any disregards which gives the maximum amount you are required to contribute towards your care.
When the financial assessment has been completed, a statement will be is sent to you which explains how your charge has been calculated, and you will receive an invoice for your contribution towards the cost of your care.
How will the proposed council tax increase affect my financial assessment?
Council Tax is always disregarded as Essential Housing Costs as part of our financial assessment process where the individual in receipt of care is legally liable for this cost.
Any increase in Council Tax will reduce the net income taken into account in the financial assessment and will not have a negative impact on your social care contribution.
Safe and Sound Charges increasing, how much more will I have to pay for those as well?
For people with an assessed eligible care need, the costs of Safe and Sound will be classed as a Disability Related Expenditure and disregarded in the financial assessment process i.e. reducing the net income taken into account in the process.
What are Community Care Services?
Community Care Services include:
- Day care (unless provided as part of a package of residential care)
- Personal care
- Outreach support
- Supported Living services
- Time Out
- Extra Care Housing
- Direct Payments
Contributions towards the cost of Community Care Services are not charged if a person is:
- suffering from Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease
- in receipt of 100% Continuing Healthcare Funding
- receiving aftercare under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act
If any of these apply to you will be aware.
How does Community Care work?
Community or non-residential care services help people who are disabled, have long term health problems or are elderly with adult social care eligible needs to live more independently in their homes and the community. You will have been assessed by a social worker and your eligible needs can be met in a variety of personalised ways for example by a service managed by the council or purchased yourself by a direct payment received from the council.
Who are Community Care Services for?
Community Care Services help people who are disabled, have long term health problems or are elderly with adult social care eligible needs to live more independently in their homes and the community. They provide support using various options from: Day Care, Personal Care, Outreach Support, Supported Living services, Time Out or Extra Care Housing and can be arranged by the council or by you with a Direct Payment from the council.
How are Community Care Services accessed?
If you need extra support in your home or need support with daily activities, initial contact is via the Independent Advice Hub (telephone number 01274 434500).
Does the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) change?
The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) issues a Local Authority Circular each year titled ‘Charging for Care and Support.’ In recent years this has been issued around the end of January/beginning of February.
The Minimum Income Guarantee has not always increased but it did in the financial years 2023-24 and 2024-25 in line with inflation and benefit increases.
Minimum Income Guarantee Figures for the 2025/26 financial year
People receiving local authority-arranged care and support other than in a care home need to retain a certain level of income to cover their living costs. Under the Care Act 2014, charges must not reduce people’s income below a certain amount, but local authorities can allow people to keep more of their income if they wish. This is a weekly amount and is known as the MIG.
The rates of the Minimum Income Guarantee for the 2025/26 financial year where the adult concerned is:
Is a single person and:
- is aged 18 or older but less than 25, the amount of £89.15.
- is aged 25 or older but less than pension credit age, the amount of £112.50.
- has attained pension credit age, the amount of £232.60.
- is a lone parent aged 18 or over, the amount of £112.50.
is a member of a couple and:
- one or both are aged 18 or over, the amount of £88.35.
- one or both have attained pension credit age, the amount of £177.55.
is a single person who is in receipt of, or the local authority considers would, if in receipt of income support, be in receipt of:
- disability premium, the amount of the applicable premium is £49.65.
- enhanced disability premium, the amount of the applicable premium is £24.25.
is a member of a couple and one member of that couple is in receipt of, or the local authority considers would, if in receipt of income support, be in receipt of:
- disability premium, the amount of the applicable premium is £35.40.
- enhanced disability premium, the amount of the applicable premium is £17.45.
- is in receipt of, or the local authority considers would, if in receipt of income support, be in receipt of carer premium, the amount of the applicable premium is £53.25.
What changes are being made?
The Council’s Non-Residential Contributions policy currently adds a non-statutory 25% buffer to the basic levels of income support when completing your financial assessment.
The change will remove this buffer and make the amount set aside to cover expenses for adults who receive care and support other than in a care home to the same level as the DHSC Minimum Income Guarantee figure when calculating your financial assessment while ensuring the contributions you make for your care is affordable and based on individual circumstances.
This will increase the amount most people will need to contribute towards the cost of their community care services and will increase the overall income the council receives from these contributions.
The recommendations made to the Executive on 3 June 2025 and agreed to were:
- To proceed with the implementation of the removal of the discretionary buffer in the calculation of non-residential financial assessments with the following adjustments:
- A phased implementation of the proposed discretionary buffer removal 50% in July 2025 and 50% in July 2026 for existing services This would provide those in receipt of care at the time the decision is made time to make adjustments to the expenditure, so they are more able to manage the financial increase.
- The commencement of a new financial assessment and welfare benefit and disability related expenditure review for all people currently in receipt of non-residential adult social care services.
This means that the phasing will be:
50% of the increase to the new charge from July 2025, but only after we have completed a new financial assessment, welfare benefit check and disability related expenditure review with the individual. The full new charge will then begin from July 2026.
This is separate to any changes for benefit increases and changes to the price of services which increase annually each April.
If the NHS funds part of their care package these changes will only relate to the amount of money that the council pays towards their package of care.
That means, if for example the increase was £20 then in would be £10 from July 2025, but only after the date of their new financial assessment, welfare benefit check and disability related expenditure review and the further £10 from July 2026.
If the increase was £50 then it would be £25 from July 2025, but only after the date of their new financial assessment, welfare benefit check and disability related expenditure review and the further £25 from July 2026.
The exact amount, however, will be determined once the new financial assessment, welfare benefit check and disability related expenditure review is completed and will reflect each individual’s care needs, the cost of those needs and their personal financial circumstances.
What if I do not disclose my financial information?
You will pay the full cost of care.
What is a self-funder?
A self-funder is someone who is paying for the full cost of their care and support. This is most common where you have savings or investments adding up to over £23,250. This figure is set every year by the Government.
- If you do not provide the information, we need to complete a financial assessment we will consider you to be a self-funder. Or if you do not have eligible care needs under the Care Act, you will have to pay the full cost of care you have arranged.
- If you are a self-funder, you are entitled to a free assessment of your care needs. After this, the council can arrange your non-residential care and support for you.
- Currently, the council does not charge for arranging non-residential care for self-funders, however this service is under review and will become chargeable at some point in the future.
- Alternatively, you may choose to enter into private arrangements with care providers to arrange your care.
- While paying for your care, the amount of your savings and investments will reduce. You should let us know when this amount gets close to the capital limit (£23,250) by contacting the Independent Advice Hub on 01274 434500.
Can someone tell me how much my charge might be before I start receiving support?
Once we have details of your finances we can give you an indication of your assessed income. This will not take into account the cost of your care at this point but will show us what you can afford to contribute.
Can you tell me how much more I would need to pay with the removal of the discretionary buffer?
The letter sent to you during the consultation set out your current contribution and what it could increase to if the proposals progressed. This was based on your current services, the price for those services and your current financial assessment.
To ensure we have your most up to date financial information and that you are claiming all of the benefits you are entitled to, we will complete a new financial assessment and welfare benefit review with you before any changes would be made.
For those of you who are self-funders or who pay the full cost of your care you will not be impacted by these changes because you are already meeting the full cost of your care.
When would the changes be introduced?
The phasing will be:
50% of the increase to the new charge from July 2026, but only after we have completed a new financial assessment, welfare benefit check and disability related expenditure review with the individual.
The full new charge will then begin from July 2026.
What are Invoicees, Appointees and Deputies
Some people in receipt of care and support have advised us they want a family member or someone else to receive any information about their finances. We call these Invoicees and we have noted this on our system. Some people have a family member or someone else to manage their finances where they have been assessed as not having the mental capacity to manage their finance themselves – these people are called Appointees or Deputies, we have noted this on our system.
Where we know someone has an Invoicee, an Appointee or a Deputy we have sent the consultation letter and information to their named Invoicee, Appointee or Deputy as they manage their finances.
What if my provider fails to deliver my services?
Please let us know if your provider has failed to deliver your service. We will discuss this with the provider, and we will review your care charges account. Please note that you may not always see a reduction in your weekly charge as this is dependent upon your financial assessment, which determines your weekly charge and the level of services that you receive.
If I reduce my care package will my charge reduce?
For most people reducing your package will not reduce the charge you are paying.
If you’re paying a contribution towards the cost of your care, then reducing your package may not reduce how much you pay. This is because your assessed contribution may be lower than the actual cost of your care package.
If you have been assessed to pay the full cost of your care, then reducing your care package will reduce the amount you pay each week.
Your care package is based on your care needs assessment and the services that are required to meet your assessed adult social care needs; therefore, you would need to discuss with your social care worker any reason for reducing your care package.
Please could you also clarify the disability related expenses policy?
At present we use NAFAO (National Association of Financial Assessment Officers) guidance.
We are in the process of developing specific operational guidance relating to Disability Related Expenditure for Bradford Service Users which is aligned to the NAFAO guidance
What is the threshold for expenses families should we put down for our young people in terms of rent and board when they live supported at home rather than supported living?
We don’t have a threshold for younger people who live with their parents. If the charge is unaffordable based on their benefits, they have the opportunity to appeal, and we could consider board and lodging.
We do not allow a disregard for utilities, the expectation is the buffer/Minimum Guarantee Amount disregarded covers food, utilities, and other spending. We would only look at utilities on request where a person’s bills exceed the national averages (using the National Association of Financial Assessment Officers guidance).
We then disregard Rent, Mortgage and Council Tax (as Housing Costs) where applicable and where the person in receipt of care is formally named on any such agreement.
Where a young person resides with parents, under current working practices in Bradford, the expectation is that they use the disregarded amount to pay towards food, utilities, and other spending as with anyone else.
With regards rent/mortgage as the young person is not liable for rent/mortgage payments or if not named on the documentation we would not normally make an allowance for rent/mortgage, unless in certain circumstances which would be dealt with via appeal – for example :
Where parents are paying rent/claiming housing benefit and have to pay the extra due to needing a property with an additional bedroom to accommodate the young adult, then this would be heard via an appeal with evidence.
The Minimum Income Guarantee amount, unless there is any specific Disability Related Expenditure, will be the threshold.
Transport and Financial Assessments
Personal Independence Payment daily living component (Personal Independence Payment Care) is designed to help with extra costs of everyday living needs. While not specifically for transportation, this money can be used however the recipient chooses to meet their care needs as identified in their care plan.
Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance Care/Daily Living components are included in a person’s Financial Assessment.
Personal Independence Payment Mobility component (Personal Independence Payment Mobility) is to meet transportation and mobility needs. These payments can be used to lease a vehicle through the Mobility scheme, which provides adapted cars, powered wheelchairs, or scooters. These payments can also be received as a cash payment and used to pay for other transportation options like taxis, community transport services or public transport costs.
Personal Independence Payment Mobility component is fully disregarded from financial assessment. (NAFAO, 2024 - guide to DRE 2024/25). This will continue to be disregarded.
In addition, where transport costs can be evidenced as being in excess of the mobility element, the extra amount over and above the mobility element may be considered as Disability Related Expenditure.
We receive many varying requests to allow additional transport costs. Not all are agreed; each case is looked at on an individual basis and where needed, the person in receipt of care would be advised to appeal if they still felt the charge was unaffordable.