Bed and board costs

[523090]

Hi. My son is 23 and has ASD. He lives with us and has a care package from our local authority. He contributes to the cost of his care. The financial assessment they conducted allowed a total of £15.70 per week, or £2.25 per day, for "bed and board". This seems a ridiculously low amount but when I questioned it I was informed that this was a "nationally agreed" figure. I have asked the local authority on numerous occasions to advise me to where this figure is published but they have never replied. I have searched the internet but have been unable to find this information. Is anybody able to signpost me to where I can find any information or have any personal experience of a similar issue. Thanks in advance for any replies.

[Jofisher]

Speak to the Mencap helpline and they will be able to advise you and if you have t had a carers assessment contact Carers Association as they will be able to help you they have always been great for me when caring for my son and they can also help with information and advice.

[Sarah_Mencap]

Hello

I have just had a look and I can't find it either. Please do all Mencap's helpline to see if they can help - mencap.org.uk/advice-and-su...

Sorry I can't be more help.

Best wishes

Sarah

[SpeedyH]

Hi there. The rules for charging for adult social care are laid down in the Care Act which gives local authorities a fair bit of discretion on how much they charge. This means all local authorities charge differently and it is a postcode lottery. My adult social care for example, doesn’t allow anything at all for board and lodgings. Each area has to publish their Charging Policy so a good starting point would be to google your LA’s adult social care charging policy. You are looking for the info relating to living independently ie not in a residential care home. The policy should say where they are getting that figure for board and lodgings from but I expect it is from a national cost of living index somewhere. If it seems that your son is paying a lot for his care you could contact an organisation called CASCAIDR who offer a charging check for £35 to see if it is lawful. Your local authority should be taking all the expenditure your son makes because of his condition into account, so things like special diet, extra energy use, extra water, extra laundry costs, continence equipment and so on.

[1946timmy]

Hi my son is 44 and still living at home.My County Council are not known to be generous but my sons financial assessment they took lots into consideration.

Personal expenses in 2018 was £24.90 Rent was £70 standard Surrey allowance was £29 and water rates was £2.00

The personal allowance included all the things he would need to buy if he lived elsewhere, toothpaste, deodorant etc etc..

the standard allowance is what they have to allow to be deducted before they charge you..

[Charlie2750 Community friend]

Hello 523090 I didnt remember ever seeing that the local authority allows for board etc. I believe what they are saying is that for his care needs he (and not you) has to contribute that sum towards his care.They have looked at all his income such as ESA UC(Universal Credit if he claims that) and PIP and have judged that they will pay for his care but the £15 is what your son pays.I mentioned PIP but they cant take that into consideration for means testing. My son pays £86 every 4 weeks which is £21.50 per week.I take out of his money £75 per week for his board and lodging.He is 34 years old.The board and lodging is a sum that is his part to the household budget..If you are wondering about his contribution to you then I think you need to add up everything and divide by 3 if there are 3 of you in the home but you should not include your personal things such as your personal phone fags beer and gambling(sorry I probably shouldnt say that) and anything to do with very expensive hobbies unless that keeps you from being mentally unwell! I rambled but I hope that my slant on things helps.

[outdoorsy1]

my LA ask me to submit costs - house insurance, bills etc. they feed this into their equation and come out with a figure..

[HolisticMum in reply to outdoorsy1]

I am going through this process with the Council at the moment. We have 2 sons with complex needs, but this is for the youngest at the moment. Years ago when a Finance person visited she could see first hand what we paid out for. This time for the younger one, I said about household contribution. They stated as we own our own house we can't charge for rent, council tax, water rates. Apparently water rates, TV licence and some other things have been factored into the costings. What isn't factored into their costings is the admin work I have to do for free, saving money in my son's budget so that I can buy in a few more helper hours. He has issues with wheat and dairy and after not getting help from GPs we resorted to a Nutritionist years ago who has helped immensely and recommends vitamin supplements. They have compared this to private health care. To us, it has been a necessity. So when I have now mentioned personal care stuff like cleanser, moisturiser, barrier cream, wet wipes, now I've got to go through another load of costings. This has been going on for 2 weeks. It has made me so anxious sometimes I can't even look at the email. It ruins my weekend until I yet again answer the questions. This is unbearable.Everyone these days is throwing out the words mental health. Mine has suffered since having to keep answering question upon question. People sitting in an office with no idea how complex life is looking after 2 young adults. It's easy for them that way.

I always want to write letters that will have an impact but I feel I've gone gaga dealing with this times 2 for 30 years.

[Charlie2750 Community friend in reply to HolisticMum]

Hi HolisticMum I note you reported that you cant charge rent! I wrote elsewhere that Icharge my son so much a week.When I say charge him because I look after his money he is "blissfully unaware" of what money he gets.I look after his money and I suppose I could do as I wish with it and nobody checks up!We are in a position where we now have no mortgage to pay but eventually he and his 2 brothers will share the proceeds of the house between them. Itake or transfer sums of money out of his ban kaccount just as if he was working and paying for his keep. I think that if he was working then he would also be out with his friends most or every night and may help with the washing up.Thomas actually without my asking will clear away the dinner plates etc.That helps a bit but I could not trust himeto stack the dishwasher or wash up.This last year he cant be taken to any of the disabled evening clubs. So honestly Ido not feel bad about charging whatever any thing between £75-£100 each week because that will help to pay for his clothes ,shoes and the sky minibox that he has in his room.I really have nothing to grumble about but holidays? cost a third more .So factor all of these things into the equation and maybe he still does not pay enough.My son Thomas is 34 and I am 71 this year and I retired from nursing once but I now earn more by vaccinating against this awful covid. My working is giving me the opportunity to get a painter in to do the jobs I have left half done and helps my mental health by being useful.

[HolisticMum in reply to Charlie2750]

Hi Charlie, yes my boys are the same, unaware of the costs etc. We know that everything we buy out of their money is for their good. The Finance Dept was adamant that they would not include rent etc, I costed it all between 4 people in our household. They are very choosy. I still haven't costed for my son's personal items like cleanser, moisturisers, body cream, barrier cream etc. Feel I just can't make the effort. But they've stated it'll have to amount to £13.34 per week to be taken away from the care costs they want to charge him.Thanks so much for your reply, it's much appreciated.

[outdoorsy1 in reply to HolisticMum]

there is a difference between what you might charge him, and what the council take into account. I said to the finance person, that we take x amount from his funds to cover household costs, she wasn't interested, they don't use that figure. They come up with their own figure, which only seems to be loosely attached to reality.

[Hilts]

My daughter lives at home & contributes £87 per week to her care costs!

Think the council in our case said they could & would be taking everything over the guaranteed min weekly figure as she doesn’t have a condition that requires more cost than the average person, also said they don’t count living at home as an expense for us, but if she was living elsewhere they would take her rent into consideration?

[HolisticMum]

Parent Carers get taken for granted as their lodging and board in a residential home works out at an astronomical amount. I bet those places don't get questioned.

[Jfmj]

Council social care charges are very much a lottery and should always be challenged, do keep a comprehensive record of expenses and invoices. Facebook have a group called Adult Social Care Warriors who are campaigning to get all charges scrapped-join up and help

[HolisticMum in reply to Jfmj]

Thanks for telling me about the Warriors. I would definitely be interested to join being that the Council quote amounts etc and all we've done all these years is try and live and look after our boys and take care of their health 24/7.

[Samuel12]

Dear All,

Having read these I can only add to the conversation on high contribution costs. I support my brother in his own flat. His benefits have to run the flat and now the LA are taking £ 350.13 a month in contribution costs. His disability also means that we have had to travel miles to access community services ie a suitable swimming pool, a disability friendly trampolining club. The cost of the contribution makes it harder and harder for me to keep him healthy and safe and to run his flat. The allowances made in the calculation are woefully insufficient to cover the cost of the extra disability needs. As a family member looking after my brother I am treated with suspicion whenever I advocate on his behalf to the council. I will contact the warriors as I now have no faith or respect for any professional working for the council - they are making a living out of our tragedy and then question everything we say, adding insult to injury.

[Eeviee in reply to Samuel12]

Hi. Look at the post from speedy H above who referred to an organisation called CASCAIDR who can also help with social care charging issues. They are part of the overall campaign to scrap care charging.