Charges for care and support

All clients who are subject to a Non-Residential financial assessment will be offered a benefits check. The benefits check may be undertaken during a phone call, by post, by a visit or by any other means deemed appropriate and effective with your agreement.

The benefits check will consider your income to calculate whether you may be entitled to any means tested or non-means tested benefits. The check will identify any possible entitlement to other means-tested awards e.g., Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS).

You will be advised of any potential entitlement to benefits and encouraged to complete the appropriate claim forms. You will be offered information and advice on how to complete the claim forms along with information on organisations who may be able to assist with the completion of forms.

The benefits check will only consider your circumstances at the time of the benefits check; the accuracy of the advice given will be dependent on the information that you provide.

What happens if I have been identified as being entitled to other benefits?

Where you have been advised that you are entitled to receive benefits, you will be deemed to be in receipt of those benefits from four weeks after the benefits check was completed and your financial assessment will be updated to reflect this.

What happens if a benefit overpayment is identified?

If a benefit overpayment is identified, you will be advised of the probable overpayment and be signposted to the relevant department within the Department for Work and Pensions to correct any overpayment. Each organisation is responsible for the quality and accuracy of the personal information it obtains, uses, and shares. If it is discovered that information held is inaccurate, our representative will ensure that their records are updated accordingly.

When do I have to tell you of my change in circumstances?

You must notify us of any changes in benefit income and/or a change in circumstance which is likely to affect your income as soon as it occurs.

Your financial assessment will then be reviewed to take into account these changes and any revised calculation will be backdated to the start of the benefit payment or the date of the first financial assessment, whichever is the latter.