Liverpool City Council has begun consultation over non-residential adult social cares

LIVERPOOL City Council has begun consultation over a proposed revised charging policy for non-residential adult social care.

It is the 1st time in at least 3 years that changes have been proposed, and the costs currently charged to people are not in line with the actual cost of their care.

Adult social care is 1 of the biggest areas of spend for the Council, with a budget of £242 million in the 2024/25 financial year, and there is growing demand in Liverpool, in line with national trends.

Charging for the services provided ensures that care and support can be sustainably funded, allowing the Council to continue delivering high-quality services to residents.

By asking those who can afford to contribute to the actual cost of their care, the Council can direct resources more effectively, ensuring that limited public funds are used where they are most needed. This approach helps to maintain a fair and equitable system, where individuals only pay what they can afford while also supporting the financial sustainability of the care services available to everyone who needs them.

The charges are subject to a financial assessment, which is carried out in accordance with regulations that are set nationally, and this means that people with care and support needs will not be asked to pay more than they can afford to.

Those that do contribute to the cost of their care are protected by a Minimum Income Guarantee, which varies depending upon age and circumstances, but in the case of a single pensioner is £272.70 per week. The Council also disregards an additional 10% of income over and above the Minimum Income Guarantee.

The proposals are:-

• Introducing a set up charge and annual arrangement fee for anyone with savings or capital above the threshold of £23,250 who has to pay for the full cost of meeting their own care or support. It is proposed to introduce a set up charge of £200 and annual arrangement fee of £150.
  

• Charging on the basis of the actual cost to the Council for arranging care and support.
  

• Charging a person for their care based on the number of carers they have. Currently, the contribution is based on 1 carer, regardless of the actual number of carers required at any 1 time to provide care and support.
  

• Charging a person for the cost of storage of personal items and boarding pets where the Council arranges this for them under its statutory duties.

The proposals are for non-residential care services and do not relate to what the Council currently charges for residential care home or nursing care home placements.

How to have your say... An online consultation form and booking form to attend in-person consultation events can be found at:- Liverpool.Gov.UK.  If you are in receipt of non-residential adult social care, look out for details of the consultation being sent to you by post.  The consultation is open until:- Sunday, 17 August 2025.

Councillor Angela Coleman, Cabinet Member for adult social care, said:- "We have not reviewed our charging policy for at least 3 years and as a result we have not kept pace with other local authorities. Regularly reviewing our policies is important, and is good practice. Adult social care is by far our biggest area of spending and accounts for a large proportion of our overall budget, so it is absolutely vital that we make sure our policies help us deliver a service that is sustainable at a time when we have a growing older population. Although some people with more complex needs may be affected by more than 1 of the proposals, nobody will be asked to pay more than they can afford to pay towards their care and support, and they will be protected by the nationally set minimum income guarantee. However, despite these protections, the Council recognises that these changes could have a significant impact on a number of individuals in receipt of care and support and, as part of the consultation, we will be having detailed discussions with individuals in receipt of care and support, and their families and carers, to understand more about the potential impacts. I would urge people who receive care, and their families, to take part in the consultation, and have their say. We will take into account the feedback we receive before making a final decision later this year."

Innovative Liverpool City Region schoolchildren scoop national award for environment project

INNOVATIVE pupils from a Liverpool City Region school have scooped a national prize for an invention to help tackle climate change.

Backed by Mayor Steve Rotheram’s Community Environment Fund, the team from Kings Leadership Academy Hawthornes in Bootle won over judges with their ‘Bouncepadz’ idea which uses kinetic energy to convert footsteps into electricity in high traffic areas.

TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham CBE presented the Young Green Briton Challenge award at a special event at London’s City Hall yesterday, hosted by Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy Mete Coban MBE.

Young Green Briton Challenge is organised by the Green Britain Foundation with Community Interest Company, Social Innovation for All, and GenEarth CIC in partnership with Widnes based EcoVida Routes.

It was 1 of 18 schemes which successfully applied for a share of this year’s £350,000 Community Environment Fund (CEF).

They used £15,000 from the fund to engage with more than 800 young people from schools across the Liverpool City Region – helping them to put their ideas into action and running going educational workshops and Dragon’s Den style pitches.

The successful local schemes then went through to the national final.

Cabinet Member for Net Zero and Leader of St Helens Council Councillor Anthony Burns, who met the Bouncepadz team at the regional final, said:- “I am so delighted to hear that the King’s Leadership Hawthornes team was one of the winners at the event in London. This was 1 of the ideas that particularly fascinated me at the regional heat. They have represented the Liverpool City Region at a national level against schools from all over the country and I’m so pleased that our Community Environment Fund was able to support them in pulling together the prototype for them to showcase. What a brilliant idea to help us on our way to become net zero by 2035. Well done.”

Andrea St John, Principal at Kings Leadership Academy Hawthornes, said:- “Developing character and innovation through leadership opportunity is key to education at Hawthornes. It is integral to the mission of The Great Schools Trust. We are so proud of our pupils and what they have achieved excelling at a national level. They have worked so hard on this project, and it is so rewarding to see this acknowledged beyond the City. They are our sustainable workforce of the future, and we look forward to exploring what they will do next.”

Dale Vince, Founder of the Green Britain Foundation, said:- “Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Young Green Briton Challenge. We created this initiative to give young people the opportunity and tools to tackle the climate crisis. The ideas we’ve seen today show just how much energy, and creativity the next generation has.”

Other climate solutions featured ranged from biodegradable whiteboard rubbers to biodiversity gardening clubs, from food waste wormeries to circular economy start-ups reusing waste before it becomes a problem.

Along with Kings Leadership, judges selected SustainInhale from Fairfield School for Girls in Manchester, Team Deforestation from Chiltern Academy in Luton and No Green, No Earth from Upper Batley High School.

They all secure a share of the coveted £4,000 prize fund up for grabs from the Green Britain Foundation.

Among those joining the competitors at City Hall were Youth Ambassadors Bo Cox, Eco Warrior from St Vincent’s School for visually impaired students in Liverpool and wildlife campaigner Bella Lack, a trustee of the Born Free Foundation.

The event also featured inspiring stories from previous winners, including the Fashion Frogs, whose upcycled uniform business has already saved hundreds of kilos of clothing from landfill.

Now in its 3rd year since launching in 2022, the Young Green Briton Challenge has engaged over 14,000 students from more than 50 state and special schools across England – helping them turn learning into action and explore pathways into green careers.

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