FOI Request - Costs Of At Home and In Community Social Care

Request 101003614531 

All questions below are, unless otherwise stated, in reference to adult social care services offered to people from the age of 18 and up. These questions do not apply to care provided in medical facilities such as hospitals, in supported accommodation, residential care facilities or provided by charities that do not charge a fee or costs to either the council or service user. The information should cover the time period of starts 6 April 2023 and ends on 5 April 2024.

1. How many people receive care services funded in part or whole by your council?

2. What percentage/number of people are asked to pay a contribution to their care services?

3. What is the average contribution cost asked of the service user to pay? Ideally, this would be on a per-week basis.

4. What is the highest and lowest non-zero cost asked of someone to pay?

5. What percentage of people are asked to make a zero-cost contribution to their care services?

6. What is the lowest, highest and average number of hours of support on a per-individual basis?

7. What system or formula is used to determine the amount paid by the service user for their contribution?

8. What, if any, programs are available to help service users fund their contributions in terms of grants or reductions?

9. How many service users have filed a complaint, appeal or in some way contested the level of contribution asked for them to pay?

Response 23-08-2024

1. There were 3,814 people who received a care service in that period.

2. 98.47 % of client in receipt of a chargeable service are asked to make a contribution. This will vary to an extent as information may include part nil charges - eg 1 package where a client pays may also include nil charges for other services.  

3. £62.91 per week

4. Highest £527.08
Lowest £3.17

5. Not held. Unable to answer as we do not hold records for those that receive Free Personal Care. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.

6. The shortest visit will be 15 minutes, the average care at home hours provided a week at the end of March 2024 is 8.75 hours and the maximum number of hours provided a week is 160 hours.

7. 

8. Nil response. 

9. We are unable to provide specific information as the system does not list whether a complaint is regarding contested level of contribution. In addition, queries received in routine ways are usually resolved at an early stage once further information or clarification is provided. 

Regarding Appeals, the number of Appeals is between 1 and 5; the low numbers involved may lead to the identification of individuals. This information is therefore exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Personal Information.