Social care charges debt recovery
Case reference FOI2022/00758
Published 4 July 2022
Request
Q1. How many adults - excluding those living in a care home - were billed* for s.14 social care charges for long-term care and support in the following financial years? Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each.
i) 2019/20
ii) 2020/21
iii) 2021/22
* Please include those who were billed but have not yet paid
Q2. How many adults - excluding those living in a care home - had debt management procedures commenced against them for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support in the following financial years? This includes individuals contacted at any stage of the debt recovery process. Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each. This may include individuals who are now deceased.
i) 2019/20
ii) 2020/21
iii) 2021/22
Q3. As of 1 April 2022 (or at the time of responding to this FOI, if data for 1 April 2022 is not available), how many adults - excluding those living in a care home - were involved in a debt recovery process for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support? This includes individuals at any stage of the debt recovery process. Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+, and how much was owed in total by these individuals to the local authority. This may include individuals who are now deceased.
Q4. In the following financial years, how many adults have had legal action brought against them for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support? Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each. This may include individuals who are now deceased.
i) 2019/20
ii) 2020/21
iii) 2021/22
Q5. In how many of those cases in answers 4i, 4ii and 4iii has this resulted in criminal action being taken? Please break down the figures by the following financial years, and into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each:
i) 2019/20
ii) 2020/21
iii) 2021/22
Q6. Is your debt recovery process, with regard to s14 social care charges, currently managed internally (ie within the local authority) or externally (ie by a private company instructed by the local authority)? Please explain.
Q6b. If the debt recovery process is currently managed externally, what is the name of the private company or companies currently being instructed by the council?
Q7. In how many cases, where an adult - excluding those living in a care home - has had debt management procedures against them for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support, has the local authority waived those debts in the following financial years? Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each. This may include individuals who are now deceased.
i) 2019/20
ii) 2020/21
iii) 2021/22
Response
Q1. How many adults - excluding those living in a care home - were billed* for s.14 social care charges for long-term care and support in the following financial years? Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each.
i) 2019/20
ii) 2020/21
iii) 2021/22
* Please include those who were billed but have not yet paid
These figures are based on invoices raised for customers within those financial years:
18-64:
2019-20: 879
2020-21: 1024
2021-22: 1027
65 +:
2019-20: 747
2020-21: 186
2021-22: 220
Q2. How many adults - excluding those living in a care home - had debt management procedures commenced against them for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support in the following financial years? This includes individuals contacted at any stage of the debt recovery process. Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each. This may include individuals who are now deceased.
i) 2019/20
ii) 2020/21
iii) 2021/22
The figures below are based on those customers who received a reminder within those financial years (a customer will be considered within the debt recovery process as soon as they have received a first reminder).
18-64:
2019-20: 324
2020-21: 397
2021-22: 477
65 +:
2019-20: 285
2020-21: 73
2021-22: 74
Q3. As of 1 April 2022 (or at the time of responding to this FOI, if data for 1 April 2022 is not available), how many adults - excluding those living in a care home - were involved in a debt recovery process for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support? This includes individuals at any stage of the debt recovery process. Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+, and how much was owed in total by these individuals to the local authority. This may include individuals who are now deceased.
The figures below are based on those customers who received a reminder within those financial years (a customer will be considered within the debt recovery process as soon as they have received a first reminder).
18-64: 166
65+: 24
Total owed: £140,237.79
Q4. In the following financial years, how many adults have had legal action brought against them for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support? Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each. This may include individuals who are now deceased.
i) 2019/20
ii) 2020/21
iii) 2021/22
0 - We have not commenced any legal proceedings currently, due to a review of the debt policy being undertaken.
Q5. In how many of those cases in answers 4i, 4ii and 4iii has this resulted in criminal action being taken? Please break down the figures by the following financial years, and into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each:
i) 2019/20
ii) 2020/21
iii) 2021/22
N/A
Q6. Is your debt recovery process, with regard to s14 social care charges, currently managed internally (ie within the local authority) or externally (ie by a private company instructed by the local authority)? Please explain.
Private company instructed by the Local Authority.
Q6b. If the debt recovery process is currently managed externally, what is the name of the private company or companies currently being instructed by the council?
Hoople Ltd.
Q7. In how many cases, where an adult - excluding those living in a care home - has had debt management procedures against them for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support, has the local authority waived those debts in the following financial years? Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each. This may include individuals who are now deceased.
i) 2019/20
ii) 2020/21
iii) 2021/22
The figures below are based on credit notes raised for customers within those financial years.
18-64:
2019-20: 150
2020-21: 233
2021-22: 294
65 +:
2019-20: 118
2020-21: 52
2021-22: 60
Documents
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