Written Question · S4W-21571 · Session 4
What its position is on whether local authorities should take into account disability related expenditure for older and disabled people whe…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether local authorities should take into account disability related expenditure for older and disabled people when calculating social care charges.
The answer
Guidance on charging for residential care is set out in the Charging for Residential Accommodation guidance published on the Scottish Government website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/Support-Social-Care/Support/Older-People/Care-Homes
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) produces guidance for local authorities on charging for non-residential social care, which is published on the COSLA website at:
http://www.cosla.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/14-01-31_item_nn_13-12-19_national_strategy_and_guidance_2014-15_gs_0_0.doc
Information on how many councils take disability related expenditure into account when calculating social care charges for older and disabled people is not held centrally.
Whilst many councils consider disability related expenditure explicitly, others allow for additional expenditure accrued as a result of having a disability through other elements of their assessment processes. However, this situation is changing following the release in April 2014 of the most recent version of the COSLA charging guidance which encourages councils to ‘be proactive in considering further disregard of income where additional expenditure is incurred by a service user as a result of living as a disabled person’.
Furthermore, COSLA is currently working with the Scottish Government and a range of representative carers’ organisations including disabled people’s organisations to facilitate greater consistency in how disability related expenditure is considered.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/Support-Social-Care/Support/Older-People/Care-Homes
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) produces guidance for local authorities on charging for non-residential social care, which is published on the COSLA website at:
http://www.cosla.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/14-01-31_item_nn_13-12-19_national_strategy_and_guidance_2014-15_gs_0_0.doc
Information on how many councils take disability related expenditure into account when calculating social care charges for older and disabled people is not held centrally.
Whilst many councils consider disability related expenditure explicitly, others allow for additional expenditure accrued as a result of having a disability through other elements of their assessment processes. However, this situation is changing following the release in April 2014 of the most recent version of the COSLA charging guidance which encourages councils to ‘be proactive in considering further disregard of income where additional expenditure is incurred by a service user as a result of living as a disabled person’.
Furthermore, COSLA is currently working with the Scottish Government and a range of representative carers’ organisations including disabled people’s organisations to facilitate greater consistency in how disability related expenditure is considered.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S4W-21571 by reference.