Guidance

Update to charging arrangements for adult social care services

Update to Fairer Charging Policies guidance for non-residential social services and the Charging for Residential Accommodation Guide (CRAG).

Applies to England

Documents

Updated fairer charging guidance

CRAG guidance

The relative's property disregard

Details

The department has published updates to:

  • the Fairer Charging Policies for Home Care and other non-residential social services guidance
  • CRAG

CRAG and the Fairer Charging Guidance provide statutory guidance to local authorities on how to interpret the regulations on charging for residential and non-residential care and support.

Following a judicial review we have updated guidance for local authorities on how to apply the relative’s property disregard during a financial assessment of what a person can afford to contribute. We have also produced the local authority circular LAC(DH)(2014)1, which gives advice on charging for adult social care services.

The National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992 set out how to assess what a person can afford to pay.

Local authorities must have regard to the Fairer Charging Guidance when designing policy in order to try to make charging policies more consistent, reasonable and fair.

Published 24 October 2012
Last updated 26 June 2014 + show all updates
  1. Following a judicial review we have updated guidance for local authorities on how to apply the relative’s property disregard during a financial assessment of what a person can afford to contribute.

  2. Published an update to the Charging for Residential Accommodation Guide.

  3. Added a new local authority circular about charging for residential accommodation

  4. Latest updates to CRAG and the Fairer Charging Guidance

  5. First published.