Frequently Asked Questions
currently has care and support needs met by the council,
has care and support needs and is arranging their own care, as they have over £23,250 in capital,
may need care in the future
legally supports people financially.
Gloucestershire County Council agreed to review its Adult Social Care Fairer Contributions Policy non-residential care/personal budgets) in October 2022
Between 31st July and 8th September 2023 the Council conducted pre-engagement to understand people’s views on its existing policy and approach to charging. The findings of this pre-engagement were published on 30th October 2023. The pre-engagement can be viewed here.
Following pre-engagement, the county council elected councillors agreed to conduct a formal consultation in January 2024.
This consultation period will start on 12th February 2024 and will last 12 weeks.
Drop in sessions where you may have some support to complete the survey online
Public events where you can come and have a conversation.
Some people will be invited to focus groups.
information and advice
assessing or re-assessing your care and support needs, helping you to plan your care, reviewing your plan
your financial assessment, re-assessment or advice from the FAB Team.
meeting the eligible needs of carers. This includes carers of adults who are self-funding their own care.
- Grants from central government
- The Better Care Fund
- Local revenue raising such as:
- council tax, specifically the social care precept and business rate
- contributions from people who are charged for the care and support they receive
- calculate how much this will cost. The total cost is called your personal budget.
- ask you to have a financial assessment if charges apply.
Who will be impacted by these changes?
The changes will directly impact anyone who:
What is the timeframe for this review and what are the steps to completing the review?
Are there alternative ways to share my views other than the online survey?
Yes, the Council will hold a series of face to face options, including:
We welcome your views in writing: paper copies of the survey are available from:
Gloucestershire County Council,
Shire Hall,
Westgate Street,
GL1 2TH.
Or you can ask your social care worker for a copy.
Are there Adult Social Care services which are provided free of charge?
You do not have to pay for these services from the county council:
Other services such as time limited intensive support to help people regain their independence or equipment costing less than £1,000 are exempt from charging. The full list can be found here.
When will these changes happen?
The council does not anticipate any changes to how we assess for adult social care to come into effect until April 2025. Once the consultation has concluded, your views and feedback will be carefully analysed. We will present an outcome report of the analysis which will feed directly into a decision on changes to be made to the Fairer Contributions Policy. Any changes will be agreed by the council’s cabinet members.
More information will be shared on how, and when, this may impact you on the consultation website.
Does everyone have to pay towards their care costs?
No, not everyone will pay towards their care costs, but most people do. In November 2023, around 18% of people drawing on the support of the county council had no charge for care. The council will ensure people are not charged more than it is reasonably practicable for them to pay.
Is everyone financially assessed?
If a person has had a Care Act assessment and the council has agreed to meet their eligible needs, we will:
• Calculate how much this will cost. The total cost is called your personal budget.
• Ask you to have a financial assessment if charges apply.
The financial assessment is a national means test which we use to determine how much you must pay towards your personal budget. Most people will have to pay something towards the total cost and the council will pay the balance. Some people will have to pay the full cost. Some people will not pay anything.
When a person has over £23,250, they may have a “light touch assessment” and are most likely to be assessed as being able to pay the full cost of their care
A person has the choice to refuse a financial assessment. If a person does not complete a financial assessment, it will be determined that they are willing to pay for the full cost of their care.
What is the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG)?
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.
What is Disability Related Expenditure (DRE)?
Where a person receives benefits to meet their disability needs that do not meet the eligibility criteria for local authority care and support, the charging arrangements should ensure that they keep enough money to cover the cost of meeting these disability related expenditures.
Where can I find more information about paying for care?
You can visit our website or visit Shire Hall main reception and ask for a “Paying for your care booklet”
I am a carer, what difference will these changes make to services I receive?
The council does not currently complete financial assessments for carers support. There are no intended changes to how the council supports carers.
Can I get paper copies of the survey questions?
Yes, please email communications@gloucestershire.gov.uk, telephone 01452-427554 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm) or you can ask for them at Shire Hall Main Reception in Gloucester.
Who will make the final decision
The final decision on what changes we make to the policy will be the county council cabinet members.
I want a review of how much I am paying for care – how do I go about this?
If you are receiving a service from adult social care, you should contact the Financial Assessment Visiting officer who completed your assessment.
Or you can make contact through the Adult helpdesk by calling 01452 426868 or email socialcare.enq@gloucestershire.gov.uk.
Who do I contact to talk to someone about my care needs/my relative/friends care needs
To talk to someone about your care needs, you can contact The County Council Adult Helpdesk by email: socialcare.enq@gloucestershire.gov.uk or telephone at 01452 426868 (Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm) or filling out an enquiry form.
How did we shape our option illustrations?
We listened to the feedback provided through our pre-engagement, highlighting areas of the policy which may not support people in the best way possible. We took the issues to a stakeholder reference group who considered what changes we can make, and we looked into how other local authorities with similar demographics assess for Adult Social Care.
This was then appraised against legal, financial, sustainable, and technical considerations within the county council and how the illustrations support adult social care in fulfilling its duties to support carers health and wellbeing, apply the charging rules equally and promote the wellbeing, independent living and social inclusion of the people we support.
We will continue to monitor and update our Frequently Asked Questions during the consultation.
How is adult social care funded?
Adult social care is funded through different streams of income at Gloucestershire County Council. These are a mixture of:
The council regularly reviews these income streams, to ensure it can maintain financial sustainability whilst continuing to provide safe and effective care for the people it supports.
Is social care free?
Social care for adults is hardly ever free. Means tested charges apply to almost all care and support arranged or provided by the council.
If you have had a Care Act assessment and the council has agreed to meet your eligible needs, we will:
The financial assessment is a national means test which we use to determine how much you must pay towards your personal budget. Most people will have to pay something towards the total cost and the council will pay the balance. Some people will have to pay the full cost. Some people will not pay anything.
You can estimate how much you might have to pay by using the council’s online calculators. These are free, confidential and easy to use. They will also give you an idea of what we take into account in your financial assessment.