How much will you have to pay?
The amount that you may have to contribute to the cost will depend on the service, your level of income and capital, and the personal budget you may get. Everyone's circumstances will be different, and not everyone has to pay a contribution. However, a few services are provided free; please see our paying for care and support webpage.
You are not charged separately for each service that you use. We carry out a financial assessment to work out what you can afford to contribute – it can be nothing, but if there is a contribution, it covers all the services your social care worker has agreed you require in your care and support plan.
The cost of these agreed services in a year becomes the personal budget allocated for your care. You can choose to take this budget and arrange your own services with a direct payment or ask us manage the personal budget and arrange and pay for your services.
How we calculate any contribution you may have to pay depends on amount of your income above a level set by the government, although some types of benefits are not counted. We will also include the amount of capital (property, savings etc.), but we ignore the value of the property you are living in if it is your only or main home.
We may be able to make an allowance against any disability benefits you receive for “disability related expenditure” which are costs that you may have to pay because of illness or disability. This may reduce your financial contribution (if you have to pay one).