Paying for services provided in the community
What are the services?
Services include home care and personal support (including night sitting services), telecare and careline equipment and emergency alarms, day care or day services, community meals (also known as meals on wheels) or any meals you may have at a Day Centre, Luncheon Club, Specialist Day Centre or Intensive Day Care Centre or transport to get there and back, and Respite Care, where you have a stay in a care home to give your carer a break.
Please remember that this information is a general guide only and that in some circumstances different rules will apply.
How are services provided?
Social care services in the community are provided to help you to remain living independently in your own home
At Richmond Council, the way we provide social care is called Self Directed Support because it gives you more control over the support you receive. Whether we fund you, or you pay for your own support, you'll be able to choose from a variety of services that are tailored to meet your needs.
Will I have to pay?
Most people will have to pay something, but it very much depends on your own particular financial circumstances. We'll look at your finances with you then work out how much, if anything, you have to pay.
Any contribution you have to make will depend on your income, savings and expenses and the cost of your support needs.
View SDS Contributions Policy
(pdf, 246KB)
What are the costs?
Find out about the costs here(pdf, 106KB).
Can I get help with the cost?
Paying for Adult Social Care(pdf, 447KB) provides detailed information on how much you may have to pay towards the cost of your care.
Everyone has to pay the full cost of any meals, but you may be able to get help with the other charges. We'll help you to fill out a Financial Assessment Form(pdf, 875KB) to see if you qualify for help. (We also have a large print version(pdf, 1034KB)). To get a rough idea of costs and how much you'll pay, you can carry out a quick, confidential, financial self assessment online.
We'll take into account any private or state pensions you receive and most other social security benefits, including Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance (care component). We'll then take off an amount for your living costs, an amount for expenses related to your disability (Disability Related Expenditure(pdf, 92KB)), allow for certain household expenses and look at how much is left.
We don't count any wages or salary you receive or Mobility Payments, War Widows Supplementary Pension or some other types of income.
We do take into account any savings you have. If you have savings over £35,000 you'll have to pay the full amount of your Personal Budget. Any savings between £14,250 and £35,000 will also be taken into account when we decide how much you'll have to pay.
Will I have to sell my house?
No, you won't have to sell the house you live in to pay for any services that you receive. However, if you own any other land or property, we'll take the value of this into account.
Useful contacts
Finance, Adult and Community Services
Address: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Civic Centre, 44 York Street, Twickenham, TW1 3BZ
Phone: 020 8831 6400
Email: charginghelpline@richmond.gov.uk