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Paying for services in your own home

We know how important it is to stay living at home. For some people, getting care in their own home is the best way to do this.

You might be worried about the cost, but we'll make sure you only pay as much as you can afford.

First, we'll work out the total cost per week of the care you need. Then we'll work out how much you can afford to pay towards the cost of your care.

We use the Department of Health guidelines on charging for residential care to work out the cost of your care. These apply to all councils. You can find out more in the legislation (The Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014).

Once we've worked out what you need and how much you can afford, we'll do one of two things. Either we'll arrange and pay for services for you, or we'll give you the money to pay for the services you want. This is called a direct payment.

When you do not have to pay

You will not have to pay if:

you're under 18
you're getting services as part of section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983
you're getting fully-funded NHS Continuing Healthcare after an assessment
you're getting reablement support which lasts for up to 6 weeks only

What we'll look at

Your income

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We'll look at your income, including:

your pension
your wages
Pension Credit
Income Support
Disability Living Allowance
Personal Independence Payment
Attendance Allowance
any extra benefits you're entitled to, even if you're not currently claiming them

Your savings

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We'll also look at any savings you have.

If you have more than £23,250

You'll have to pay the full cost of your care (apart from nursing care). This is called being 'self-funding'.

If you have savings between £14,250 and £23,250

You'll have to pay towards your care. For every £250 you have, we'll add £1 to your weekly income when we work out how much you need to pay.

If you have less than £14,250

You'll have to pay towards your care. We'll ignore your savings when we work out how much you can pay.

Once you're getting care, we'll contact you every April to check you're still paying the right amount for your care. If your savings change before then, get in touch with us.

Disability-related expenditure

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We'll look at any extra costs you have because of your age, disability, or ill health. You may have to provide proof of these costs.

Extra costs include things like:

diet
laundry
clothing and footwear
bedding
water and fuel costs
transport costs
personal assistance costs
gardening
cleaning
disability-related equipment
social costs
wear and tear on clothing or furniture

If you do have extra costs, we'll make sure you still have enough money left over to pay them.

What we will not look at

Your home

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We do not look at the value of your home when we're working out how much you can afford to pay. This is because you'll still be living there.

Get help

Find out if you can get financial help

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Your social worker will ask you to sign a form to agree to a financial assessment.

Once you've signed the form, you can apply for a financial assessment.

As part of the assessment, you'll need to provide evidence. It's easier if you gather the evidence before you start filling in the form. You can find out about all the evidence you need on the getting a financial assessment page.

Advice

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If you'd like advice or support, contact the Financial Assessment Team by calling 01642 726777 or emailing ascfinancerescare@middlesbrough.gov.uk.

Allowances

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We'll make sure you're always left with the amount the government says that you need to live on per week. This is called the minimum income guarantee (MIG).

Appeals

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If you're unhappy with the amount you have to pay, write to:

Adult Social Care Finance
2nd Floor
Fountain Court
119 Grange Road
Middlesbrough
TS1 2DT

You should give as much information as possible about why you're appealing. For example, if you think we've made a mistake when working out how much you need to pay.

If you'd like help with appealing, contact the Financial Assessment Team by calling 01642 726777 or emailing ascfinancerescare@middlesbrough.gov.uk.

Get more information about home care costs

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Age UK provides independent information and advice on finding and paying for care. You can contact Age UK by calling 0800 169 2081 or visiting the Age UK website.

Money Helper helps people to make the most of their money. It offers impartial information and advice about your money to help you work out what's right for you. If you're looking at long-term care, the website explains what options may be available, and what you should think about before making a decision.

The Society of Later Life Advisers lets you search for accredited financial advisers in your area. They can give advice on fees for care homes and home care, as well as pensions and retirement planning.