Social care charging

Project

Social Care - charging for care at home.

Background

Historically, older people receiving care in their homes had an expectation that they did not have to pay towards these services. Changes to legislation meant that Local Authorities could ask customers to contribute towards their care (this is known as “Fairer Charging”). Over the last 20 months, LDL Benefits Service has worked in partnership with one local council to successfully and sensitively deliver major system and policy changes to their Fairer Charging Policy.

Brief

To develop a robust and high performing service. To provide customers with easy to understand information in a timely manner. To resolve customer queries in a sensitive and empathic manner.

Results

The main aims of the project were to:

  • Work in partnership with the local authority.
  • Stabilise the service.
  • Develop of strong sustainable processes.
  • Put a strong focus on customer’s needs.
  • Implement flexible and joined up service delivery.
  • Introduce data cleansing and migration.

For the first time, customers receive regular monthly statements of the care that they had received and the charges applied. 

Customer accounts are proactively managed to ensure that regular weekly payments are maintained and that debt does not mount on accounts. Early intervention and joint working with colleagues has ensured that customers benefit from a single point of contact which coordinates all elements of the financial and debt recovery process.

Close working with our partners allows us to offer all customers the opportunity of a benefits maximisation check from the Benefits Maximisation Team. Working in partnership with colleagues has resulted in an average of £56 per week in additional benefits for customers.

Testimonial

To come

To come