Under the Shared Lives license agreement Herefordshire Council has the ability:
‘If it is necessary to increase the charge, one month’s notice will be given by Herefordshire Council’.
However, board and lodgings payments have not been reviewed since 2013 although benefits paid to and on behalf of service users have increased year on year. Herefordshire has fallen significantly behind other authorities in the rates that Shared Lives carers receive for board and lodgings.
In addition Cost of Living increases put pressure on Shared Lives Providers and Cost of Living Grants are not paid to the Shared Lives carers but are paid to the people they support.
The Adults and Wellbeing Strategy 2023 -2025 identifies Shared lives development as a key transformation activity:
To progress the Key work Stream of the Community Wellbeing Transformation strategy 2023/ 2025 :
Area 3 Integrated models of Care and Support
Transformation activity 3.5 ‘extension of Shared Lives as a complementary community based offer’.
To achieve this recruitment of more Shared Lives carers is essential. There is a danger that:
•Without this decision Shared Lives carers could decide they can no longer afford to continue supporting clients in their homes.
•People who might be thinking about becoming Shared Lives carers might not apply if they don’t believe that their costs will be covered.
This would lead to:
•Shortage of Shared Lives arrangements for current clients and impact the ability to grow and diversify the service.
•Some people who are supported by Shared Lives would have to find alternative accommodation and support which would be likely to be in a care home or supported living setting, not an ordinary household in the community.
Doing this will bring Herefordshire Shared Lives Scheme more into line with the rates being charged nationally.
These are the rates that have been determined by Central Government as amounts Ineligible (so not covered by housing benefit) for fuel deductions one room – working age and Amounts (ineligible so not covered by housing benefit) for meals
A benchmarking exercise undertaken with Shared Lives schemes nationally identified that at present Herefordshire is below some national rates e.g.
In Worcestershire Shared Lives clients now pay £76.40 per week and that the national average paid in 2022 was £68.00.
People who live in Shared Lives and / or their representatives have been consulted over these proposals and the overwhelming theme is that they understand and accept the need for the proposed increase and have no issues with paying it.
A summary document that of feedback received and which identifies the key themes and arising from the consultation is attached as is the consultation letter, in standard and easy read format.