Dementia Support Line
Organising care plans and financial support in Wales
Once it is decided that someone has needs that make them eligible for support, the local authority looks at how best to put this in place. They will first carry out a financial assessment.
- Assessment for care and support in Wales
- Care assessments for people with dementia in Wales
- Carer's assessments in Wales
- Financial assessment for carers in Wales
- You are here: Organising care plans and financial support in Wales
- Reviews and complaints in Wales
Assessment for care and support in Wales
Care and support plans for people affected by dementia in Wales
If the care assessment shows the person with dementia has eligible needs, they will receive a care and support plan from the local authority. The plan lists the person’s needs and how to meet them. For example, if a person needs support at mealtimes, the care and support plan would state that a care worker should visit them to help during meals.
As a carer, you will also get a care and support plan if you are eligible. This will outline support that is specifically for you. This could include counselling for you or training, such as manual lifting and handling to help you support the person.
A carer’s assessment may also lead to changes in the care and support plan for the person with dementia. Sometimes, your needs can be met by providing services to the person you care for. An example is respite care – where a paid care worker spends time with the person with dementia, so you can take a break. Although the change is there to help you, it will be applied to the care plan of the person with dementia.
For more information on respite care, see our guidance on Respite care in Wales.
A care and support plan must name the person who will coordinate the preparation, reviews, delivery and revision of the plan. Often this will be the person that carried out the assessment. This is someone you can speak to about the care and support plan.
How care and support is arranged
The main ways the local authority arranges care and support are:
giving the support directly
arranging for a care provider, such as a homecare agency
making a direct payment to the person or their carer to buy their own care and support.
Care and support can also be arranged as a combination of these options. How this will be arranged is usually discussed in the assessment and should be in the care and support plan.
The local authority must give you information on where to get local care and support, even if they are not paying for the care. This information can include advice from professionals such as an occupational therapist or a social worker.
You can also get information from local care agencies and charities. The Care Inspectorate Wales lists all registered homecare agencies.
Some services, such as community nursing, are arranged through the GP. This can be done directly or after a discussion with your local authority’s adult services or social services department.
Financial assessments and care charges in Wales
There is a maximum weekly charge for homecare in Wales. This is currently set at £100 per week but this amount may change in the future. This is the maximum weekly charge for anyone, regardless of how much care you need and how much capital and income you have.
‘Income’ refers to any money you receive regularly, for example, benefits or a pension. ‘Capital’ refers to any other assets you have, including savings and investments. You may pay less than the maximum weekly charge if your care costs less, or you have below £24,000 in capital, or you are below a certain income level.
There is no maximum weekly charge for residential care. The capital limit is also different to homecare and is currently set at £50,000. This means if you have above this limit, you will usually pay your own residential care fees. If you have £50,000 or under, you should keep your capital and only be expected to contribute from your income.
If you feel that the charges are unreasonable or the financial assessment has not been done properly, you can ask the local authority for a breakdown of costs and an explanation of how the decision was made. You can also speak to them about your concerns.
Direct payments
Direct payments can offer more choice and flexibility when choosing products and services to meet the person with dementia’s needs. An example could be selecting their care agency or choosing to have a male or female carer, or requesting a carer that can speak a specific language.
The local authority may also agree to use a direct payment to pay family members who live in the same household as the person with dementia to provide care if this is the best way to meet the person’s needs.
The Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 allows people to use direct payments to pay for long-term residential care as well as other services.
For specific information on direct payments in Wales see wales.gov.uk website.
