Paying for adult social care

If you have less than £23,250 in savings, you may get some or all of your adult social care costs covered. A financial assessment will determine any financial support you are eligible for.

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Paying for care at home

A financial assessment will determine how much you will need to pay towards care provided in your home or in the community. It is possible that the assessment will mean you do not need to pay anything.

Once your care and support assessment is complete, you or someone acting on your behalf must carry out a financial assessment.

Information we need from you

You will need to provide us with accurate information with supporting evidence about:

  • your contact details and who, if not yourself, will be acting on your behalf
  • your income
  • your savings, capital and investments
  • your expenditure (such as rent, mortgage and Council Tax)
  • disability related expenditure (expenses you incur as a result of your disability or infirmity)
  • information to help us check you are in receipt of all the welfare benefits you are entitled to, if you wish

How we calculate the charge

We ensure that individuals retain a Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), allowing them to maintain an adequate standard of living.

We look at your capital and income and subtract the essential costs you need to live on, such as:

  • rent
  • mortgage payments
  • service charges (if payable)
  • Council Tax

The amount left over is what you may be asked to pay towards your care. This is called your Client Contribution.

You will never be asked to pay more than your assessed Client Contribution. If your care costs are lower than this amount, you will only pay the actual cost of your care.
 

Certain income sources, such as Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit, are included in the calculation, while others, like the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), are disregarded.

Living costs exemptions

The following essential living costs are deducted before arriving at the final contribution amount:

  • rent or mortgage payments
  • council tax
  • specific disability-related expenses

All expenditure must be verified by a financial assessment officer, and individuals must provide the necessary evidence to support their claims. 

Your capital

Assets and capital play a significant role in determining financial responsibility. While a person’s main home is disregarded in the assessment, any additional property is considered as part of their capital.

If an individual’s capital exceeds the upper threshold of £23,250 they are expected to cover the full cost of their care. Those with lower capital may qualify for financial assistance or exemption, depending on circumstances.  

If you own property

If an individual continues to live in their own home while receiving care and support in the community, the property will not be counted as an asset in determining their financial contribution.

Any additional properties owned by the individual will be included in the financial assessment. This applies whether the person owns the property outright or jointly with others.

If the additional property generates rental income, that income is fully taken into account in the assessment unless specific exemptions apply. If the property is vacant and not generating income, it is still considered a capital asset.  

Adult social care charges queries

Check the following guidance for queries about adult social care charges to ensure you reach the correct team.

Financial assessments

For questions about the outcome of your financial assessment, contact your allocated Financial Assessment Officer. Their details will be on your assessment outcome letter.

If you would like a different officer to review your assessment, you can request a Financial Assessment Review. You may be asked to provide supporting evidence (for example: bank statements, invoices or receipts).

Care invoicing

If your query relates to your care invoice (for example: dates, charges, services shown), contact adultsocialcarebilling@croydon.gov.uk

Please include the:

• invoice number
• care period in question
• reason you believe the invoice may be incorrect

Contact us

For more information about your financial assessment and paying for your care, you can speak with your financial assessment officer direct or call 0208 760 5676. 

You can also email enquiries to ResidentialFA@croydon.gov.uk, or if it is about your deferred payment to deferredpayments@croydon.gov.uk.