Contacting us to ask us to come and have a conversation with you about your caring role could be the first step to gaining vital support. You do not have to be living with the person or, providing full time care to request a discussion with us about your support needs.
We will explore the areas you may need assistance with as defined in The Care Act 2014. The Care Act criteria determines the support you may need in the following areas; your ability to maintain your home environment, manage your nutrition, or engagement in work, education, training, or recreational activities. We may be able to connect you to local community support services or provide support directly to you as a carer to help you in one of the above areas. We will take in to account how your caring role impacts on your physical and emotional wellbeing.
There is no charge for services provided directly to you as a carer to meet your needs.As part of our discussion with you, and the person you care for, we may determine you require support in the form of respite services to give you a planned break from your caring responsibilities providing the person you support also has Care Act eligible needs.
If you are regularly unavailable to provide care, for example while at work or attending to other commitments, we may be able to arrange alternative care for the person you care for. This is not respite care and will be assessed as part of the person you support weekly careand support plan and will be subject to financial assessment.
Respite options
Following our discussion with you and the person you care for you are eligible for respite services we will decide with you how many units of respite you require over the next 12 months. The number of units provided will usually be determined by the impact andfrequency of your caring role and also how many breaks you anticipate you will need during the year.
You and the person you care for can decide how and when you wish to use the respite units. Each ‘unit’ of respite is equivalent to:
- 1 night in residential care
- 1 day at day care
- 3 hours of care at home
Respite can also be taken as Shared Lives support, this can cover a range of options and needs to be discussed with the Shared Lives Scheme. This option can be explored with your allocated worker as part of the respite discussion.
Direct payments
The person you care for can choose to take the respite budget as a Direct Payment, this could enable greater choice and flexibility in how respite is provided. They can choose tomanage their own direct payment monies or, someone can manage this on their behalf if they do not have mental capacity. See fact sheet 5: Personal Budgets and Direct Payments
Respite in residential care
Residential care is funded at the Blackpool Council rate, if you choose a home outside of Blackpool you may have to pay more as other local authorities often have a higher rate.
A list of residential homes in the local Blackpool area can be found on the website fyidirectory.co.uk, alternatively we can post a list to you.
How much will the person I care for have to pay?
The maximum charge for residential respite is £52.57 per night which is a subsidised rate. We will offer you a financial assessment and ask you to complete a request for a reduction in care charges form. You will need to pay an assessed contribution for residential respite based on the information gathered from the financial assessment.
If you have over £23,250 in savings or you choose not to have a financial assessment you will need to pay the £52.57 per night directly to the home.
Please note, these contributions also include the respite breaks booked at Coopers Way and Ambleside Way.
Top up charges
Top up charges are charges are charged at the care homes discretion but cannot be to meet your assessed care needs as this comes under the council’s contracted fee rate. You will need to clarify with the home what the top up is for in order to understand exactly what you are paying for.
If you choose a home with a top up charge this will not be paid by the council and you will need to make arrange directly with the home to pay this charge.
Respite support at home or at a day centre
The person you care for may choose to remain at home with additional respite supportwhilst you take a break. This support can be provided by carers visiting at planned times during the day or, they may choose to attend a day centre or, a combination of the two options can be used.
If you choose carer support at home you will need to make arrangements directly with one of the council’s contracted providers for the relevant dates and times required. We can provide you with a list of our contracted providers.
Day care can only be provided at Warren Manor, Keats or Langdales you will need to check availability in advance for the dates you require. You will also need to arrange transport toand from the day centre for the dates you have chosen. The meal provided at the day centre will also need to be paid for directly to the day centre.
There is no charge for respite taken at home or in a day centre.
Shared lives respite
Shared lives provide support and accommodation for people who need help due to age or disability. Specially recruited carers provide the service/support within their own homes. This support can be provided as overnight stays or day time support.
Benefits and pensions
Entitlement to some benefits such as: Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Personal Independence payments and Carers Allowance may be affected by time spent away from home for example; in a residential care home or hospital. If you, or the person you care for, receive benefit allowances you are responsible for letting the relevant benefit office know. You can help by doing this for the person you care for and by keeping a note of the dates that the person you care for enters and leaves any care home or hospital etc.
Contacting adult services
Please contact us if you require any further information:
- Adult social care (Adults 18+) telephone: 01253 477800
- Mental health telephone: 01253 477770
- Mental health - Older adults team telephone: 01253 957350
- Learning disability team telephone: 01253 477803
Further fact sheets available:
- Introduction to adult social care
- Care at home
- Residential and nursing care
- Reablement services
- Personal budgets and direct payments
- Discharge to assess
- Carer support and respite services
- Deferred payment scheme
- Financial advice and information
- Making a decision about your property
- Making financial decisions for someone who lacks capacity
- Money management service
Sharing your information
We will record information about you such as your name, address, date of birth, legal status, next of kin and details about your income, expenditure, savings and capital plus details of your circumstances gathered at our visit and discussion with you. We will keep your information safe and secure. Sometimes we may need to share information about you with others involved in organising or delivering your support, such as care agencies, advocates, health professionals or other council departments on a need to know basis. You should let us know if you do not want us to do this
How did we do?
We aim to deliver an excellent service. However, if you are unhappy about the service you have received or the way you have been treated you can make a complaint. You can do this in writing or by speaking to a member of staff:
Customer relations team
Adult services
Blackpool Council
PO Box 4
Blackpool
FY1 1NA
Telephone: 01253 477700
Email: customerrelations@blackpool.gov.uk
To ensure services provided by the council are accessible, information is available upon request in a variety of formats. Please let us know if you need an alternative format.