Why are we consulting?

Hartlepool Borough Council is looking at making changes to its Adult Social Care Charging Policy. We want to know what you think about these changes and how they might affect you. What you tell us will help the Adult Services and Public Health Committee when they look at the policy in March 2026. You can read the full draft policy here (opens in new tab).

Read the information below, then click the link at the bottom of the page to complete a short survey about the proposals.

What are the proposed changes?

We are suggesting three main changes to the Charging Policy. These changes will help the Council cover the rising costs of care and help make sure we can keep services going.

1. Annual Inflation Increase

What happens now:
How much you pay towards your care usually stays the same, even though care costs go up each year because of inflation and wage increases.

Proposed change:
From April each year, what you will pay will go up slightly in line with inflation and benefit increases. This avoids sudden large increases later.

What this means for you:
Your charges will rise a little each April, like other bills. You’ll be told the new amount before it starts.

2. Including Overnight Care Payments

What happens now:
If you get higher-rate Attendance Allowance or PIP (which includes money for overnight care), we currently ignore this extra amount when working out how much you pay towards your care.

Proposed change:
If you don’t need overnight care, we will count this extra money as income in your financial assessment. This makes charging fairer for everyone.

What this means for you:
If you get higher-rate Attendance Allowance or PIP but don’t need overnight care, what you pay towards your care may go up.

3. Fees for Managing Benefits (Appointeeship)

What happens now:

If you can’t manage your benefits and have no family to help, the Council can do this for you for free. This service takes time and resources, and demand is growing.

Proposed change:
From April 2026, we will introduce fees for this service, similar to those charged by companies who provide this service.

• Setup fee: £150 (for new users)
• Monthly fee:
  • £55 for standard support
  • £85 for enhanced support

What this means for you:
If the Council manages your money, you will pay for this every month from April 2026. How much you pay will depend on the level of support you need. New users will also pay a setup fee.

The survey will close on the 9th February 2026

Click this link to complete the survey.