The newest local government to sign on as a pioneer for the government’s social care reform is Oxfordshire.
To stop unexpected care costs for local care recipients, it will apply the charging reform’s amendments as soon as possible.
Oxfordshire follows Wolverhampton, Blackpool, Cheshire East, Newham, and North Yorkshire in making changes early before the national roll out in October of next year in order to facilitate a smooth transition from the present charging scheme.
This will include a more lenient means test to determine financial assistance from local authorities, as well as a lifetime maximum on care expenses of £86,000 for anyone receiving care in England.
The six local authorities were chosen by the government to represent a cross section of communities and to ensure that any insights, data, and lessons acquired from this effort would be beneficial to all providers, local governments, and regions throughout England.
Gillian Keegan, the minister for care and mental health, said:
Oxfordshire joining our early adopters of the pricing change is fantastic.
In order to enable providers and local authorities across England in the future, Oxfordshire will pave the way alongside our other trailblazers and make sure we learn from any insight, evidence, and lessons.
We’re eager to collaborate with them to carry out the ambitious shift.
Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Councillor Tim Bearder, stated:
We are aware that adult social care needs to be reformatted to eliminate the erratic care costs that people incur as they age.
Oxfordshire is a pioneer in senior social care nationally, and being a member of this exclusive group of early adopters allows us the chance to shape the program’s implementation and communicate our best practises to the federal government.
The Health and Social Care Levy, which is expected to earn more than £5.4 billion and include £3.6 billion to change how people pay for their social care, will pay for the government’s billing reform.
From October of next year, no one beginning to receive care will pay more than £86,000 over the course of their lifetime, and no one with less than £20,000 in savings or real estate holdings will be required to make any payment.
This is an increase from £14,250.
People with assets between £20,000 and £100,000 will be eligible for means-tested support; this maximum range is more than four times the current cap.
By enabling the Department of Health and Social Care to test out important components of the reforms, the trailblazers will influence the government’s strategy for implementing the charging reform throughout England.
The programme will generate insightful information, proof, and lessons that will help the government track its progress and identify obstacles to better comprehend how it will operate in practise.
With a series of events taking place before the final rollout, these six local authorities will collaborate with the department to enlighten and inform other local authorities.