Adult Social Care Fees and Charges

Adult Social Care services are not free

The following charges relate to the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

All charges are reviewed annually. The exception to this is interest rates on deferred payments. These are adjusted every 6 months.

Paying for Care

The amount you pay for care will vary depending on your individual situation and your financial circumstances. You may have to pay for all of the costs, or you may be able to apply for financial assistance. If you apply there is a financial assessment process to determine how much you will have to pay.

The following are our usual charges for care. These charges will apply in full for people paying full cost of care. This will usually be people with capital in excess of £23,250. For people who receive financial assistance, the cost will be capped at the level of their assessed charge. This is as determined by their financial assessment.

Find out about paying for adult social care

Arrangement Fee for Self-funders

If you have to pay the full cost of your care, you can still ask us to arrange care for you.

Where we arrange services on your behalf, we will charge a fee which covers the cost of doing this. The care and supports statutory guidance allows us to do this.

The arrangement fee is £300. This will be charged the first time we arrange a care package for you. We will charge a further fee of £300 if you require a significant change to your care package.

Examples of a significant change include: 

• a change to the type of care
• a change in provider
• a change requiring negotiation / renegotiation in cost

Charges for Care at Home and Housing Support Solutions

Charges can vary between care providers. If you ask us to arrange your care, we will negotiate the price with the provider. Costs are variable between providers, however, there is a usual maximum price for services arranged by us. Occasionally the cost may be higher than this, for example for a specialist service.

Standard Charges for Housing and Support Solutions

Type of Care	2025/2026
Standard Staffing hourly rate paid to the provider	£24.42
Senior Staff hourly rate paid to the provider	£26.09
Nursing Staff hourly rate paid to the provider	£39.06
Waking Night Support Staff hourly rate paid to the provider	£24.42
Sleep-in Night support shift set rate paid to the provider	£122.28

Shared Lives

Shared Lives is a scheme where adults with support needs live with a family who provide board, lodgings and support.

If you are supported through Shared Lives, you are responsible for the cost of rent, food and utilities. You will pay these costs directly to Shared Lives South West. You may be entitled to Housing Benefit for help with rent but will need to pay for food and utilities from your own income. These costs will be set out in the Shared Lives agreement.

If you need help with the cost of support provided to meet your eligible care needs, you will be required to apply for financial assistance. This will assess how much you may be required to pay.

Shared Lives is also used by some people to provide respite care (Short breaks).

Care Element	Cost 2025/26
Long Term Band 1	£220.33 per week
Long Term Band 2	£291.11 per week
Long Term Band 3	£360.54 per week
Long Term Band 4	£480.72 per week
Short Break A	£11.69 per hour
Short Break B	£13.75 per hour
Short Break Special	£15.82 per hour
Overnight A	£85.28
Overnight B	£105.89
Overnight Special	£126.51

Day Opportunity Charges

The cost of  individual sessions varies and are individually priced. 

The charge per session is influenced by several factors, including: the provider, the type of session, staffing requirements, length of the session, outcomes people want to work towards and the number of participants. 

In some cases, the rates may be higher for specialised services.

We commission day opportunities through a number of external providers each charging different rates.

Prices for a whole day session range from around £45 to £70.

Full details of each session will be available on the Day Opportunities Directory which will be launched in the coming month.

View our Day Opportunities

Meals Charges

Cornwall Council will charge the full cost of any meal provided as part of a care package. Meals are individually commissioned, and prices may vary.

Care Homes

Cornwall Council and the NHS have a contract for the provision of care home services. If you ask the Council to arrange your care, we will agree the price for your placement with the provider on a case by case basis. This will be based on the hours of care required to meet your individual assessed needs (the Tier). The price will usually be within the Expected Range set out below. Sometimes we will not be able to source the care you need within this Expected Range and in this situation we will negotiate the price on your behalf.

We will always look to find the best value for money placement that can meet your assessed needs. The price you pay will be the actual price paid by us for your placement.

Residential Care Home Placements (care home without nursing)

Tiers	Additional dedicated 1:1 hours	Contract Rates / Value 2025-26 (4.34% uplift)
Residential Tier 1	-	£933 to £1,002
Residential Tier 2	-	£996 to £1,064
Residential Tier 3	1-10 hours	£1,185 to £1,253
Residential Tier 4	11+ hours	Bespoke

 

Nursing Care Home Placements (care homes with nursing)

Where a person has been assessed by an NHS professional as having nursing needs, the NHS make a payment towards the cost of your care. This is known as the NHS funded nursing care (FNC) rate. The Expected Range for nursing care below includes the amount of the FNC. The Council pays the care home provider the weekly fee below minus FNC amount and the care home provider will claim the FNC directly from the NHS.

Tiers	Additional dedicated 1:1 hours	Contract Rates / Value 2025-26 (includes FNC) (4.34% uplift)
Nursing Tier 1		£1,309 to £1,381
Nursing Tier 2	1-10 hours	£1,499 to £1,570
Nursing Tier 3	11-20 hours	£1,689 to £1,760
Nursing Tier 4	Greater than 20 hours	Bespoke

 

Direct Payments

What is an indicative personal budget?

An indicative personal budget is the estimated amount of money that is needed to meet your eligible care and support needs following your assessment.

Knowing your indicative personal budget helps you to plan your care and support. This is called support planning.

We will let you know your indicative personal budget within 28 days of your assessment.

What is a personal budget?

Your personal budget is the final cost of agreed services that will be purchased to meet your eligible care and support needs.

Your personal budget can be made up of various funding streams. This will include the contribution that you have to make.

We will calculate at the end of your financial assessment the amount you will need to contribute .

We will pay your personal budget direct to you so that you can arrange your own care and support.

Want to know more about Direct Payments?

We support Direct Payments to help people in meeting their eligible needs. This helps you have greater independence as well as choice and control over the care you receive.Find out about Direct Payments

Service	Unit of Measurement	2025/26 Rate
Personal Assistant - day rate	Hourly rate, inclusive of ‘on- costs’	£15.84
Personal Assistant – day  rate respite	Hourly rate, inclusive of ‘on- costs’	£15.84
Personal Assistant - night Rate	Hourly rate	Waking Night £16.64 Sleeping Night £10.81
Personal Assistant - night rate respite	Hourly rate, inclusive of ‘on- costs’	Waking Night £16.64 Sleeping Night £10.81
Homecare - Agency	Hourly rate	£27.21
Supported Lifestyles - Agency	Hourly rate	Day Rate £23.80 Waking Night £21.80  Night Rate-Sleep in £15.71
Short Break in Care Home – Residential	Weekly cost	Tier 1 £932.80 Tier 2 £996.45 Tier 3 £1,185.30
Short Break in Care Home – Nursing (Excluding FNC)	Weekly cost	Tier 1 £1,309.47 Tier 2 £1,499.37 Tier 3 £1,689.27
Tier 4 will be calculated using The Care Funding Calculator
Day Care	Full daily cost (average) Half daily cost (average)	£50.51 £27.03
Barrier Products allowance (where PA employed only)	Annual cost	£54.92

 

Deferred Payments

A Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA) is a form of loan arrangement with the Council. It is for people in residential nursing care who have been assessed to pay the full cost of their care. The loan is secured against the person's property.

See our Deferred Payments Policy for further information. The charges are currently:

Set up fees

Cost type	Amount	Type of charge
Sole-owned and registered property	£532.47	One off cost whether or not the application proceeds to completion
Jointly owned/ unregistered/mortgaged property	£740.77	One off cost whether or not the application proceeds to completion
Plus fixed legal charges
Valuation fee	£450	Chargeable whenever a valuation is needed or requested. See * and ** below
Priority search	£7
Application to register at Land Registry	£20-£140	Variable according to Equity Limit
Copy of Land register and title plan	£14
Land Charge search unregistered land	£6 per name

*If the property is out of county and it is necessary to commission a surveyor local to that area for a valuation, this may attract additional costs.

**When 70% of the equity value (deferred amount) has been reached there will be a further valuation. We also reserve the right to undertake further valuations. This is where there is significant change which is likely to have impacted on the value of the property. This charge will also be raised when the person requests a further valuation.

Closing fees

Cost type	Amount	Type of charge
Sole-owned and registered property	£156.51
Other administration fees to be added and due for payment at the time of closure
Redemption statement	£43.44	Chargeable for each statement issued
Six monthly statement	£43.44	Chargeable for each statement issued
Request for Disposable Income Allowance change	£66.84	per request
Administration fee for in-loan repayments	£46.41	per payment
Reminder letter issued for repayment of debt after agreement has ended	£21.72	Chargeable for each letter issued
Debt recovery costs	Variable	Any costs incurred in recovering the debt, if not repaid in full at the end of the agreement, may be charged in full

 

Please note that the charge applied will be the applicable charge at the time the service / transaction is finalised. Any charges incurred will be payable even if the Deferred Payment Arrangement application does not complete.

Deferred Payments Interest charges

Interest will be charged at the maximum rate set by the Department of Health and Social Care. This is currently:

01/01/2024 - 30/06/2024 (inclusive) at 4.65% (compounded daily)
01/07/2024 - 31/12/2024 (inclusive) at 4.05% (compounded daily)
01/01/2025 – 30/06/2025 (inclusive) at 4.25% (compounded daily)

The interest rate is reviewed twice-yearly by the Department of Health and Social Care in January and July. 

Appointee Fees

An Appointee is someone chosen by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help someone who can't manage their own money. This includes:

• applying for state benefits
• making payments for the person's care, and
• arranging personal spending or other necessary items

In exceptional circumstances, the Council can act as an Appointee to:

• manage the money of people who can't do it themselves, and
• help people who have no one else who to manage their money

The Council can be Appointee for people living in residential care and in the community.

Balance of individual bank account	Community (weekly fee)	Residential (weekly fee)	Annual cost of fee for Appointee service
Under £2000	£0	£0	£0
£2001 - £16000	£15	£10	£780 for Community £520 for Residential
Above £16,001	£15	£10	£780 for Community £520 for Residential

The fee will be collected quarterly, approximately on the first day of July, October, January and April of each financial year.

If your balance is over £16,001, we will consider if Appointee service should continue. We may apply to the Court of Protection for Deputyship to manage your finances.

If we stop providing Appointee service and someone else takes over, we will charge £245 to end our service. If someone passes away, we will charge £330 to pay any remaining bills and close the account.

Deputyship Fees 

A Deputy is someone appointed by the Court of Protection who acts for someone who is unable to manage their own finances. This is with regard to:

• claiming state benefits
• making payments on behalf of the person for cost towards their care
• arranging personal spending or other items considered to be in the best interests of the person
• making decisions about other income and capital 

In exceptional circumstances, the Council offers to be a deputy to:

• manage the finances of people who are unable to do this for themselves, and
• have no one else who is willing or able to do this for them

The Council can be Deputy for people living in residential care and in the community. 

We charge fees for Deputyship.  These include the application to the Courts and annual reporting costs. This is in line with the Court of Protection and The Office of The Public Guardian guidance.

Fees and charges

Fees that could be incurred when applying for a Deputyship order, as determined by the Court of Protection & The Office of the Public Guardian.

Type of Fee	Cost
COP 3 Completion	£NIL
Application Fee	£408
Appeal Fee	£234
Copy of Document	£5
Hearing Fee	£494
Deputy Assessment Fee (New Deputy)	£100
Supervision Fee	£320
Minimal Supervision Fee this applies to some property and affairs deputies managing less than £21,000	£35

 

View the Government information on Court of Protection fees

Exemptions and Remissions

Court of Protection Application Fee

Details of the criteria for full and partial remission can be found in the HM Courts & Tribunals Service document EX160A – this is a two-stage test based on capital held and monthly income.

Office of the Public Guardian Fees

Some Service Users may be entitled to a fee exemption, if they receive certain state benefits and have not been awarded damages of more than £16,000 which were disregarded when determining eligibility for benefit:

• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• Income based Employment and Support Allowance
• Income based Job-Seekers allowance
• State Pension Guarantee Credit
• A combination of Working Tax Credit and either Child Tax Credit, Disability Element or Severe Disability Element
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Benefit
• Local Housing Allowance

Service users who are not eligible for a fee exemption may be entitled to a 50% remission if their gross annual income is less than £12000 (NB the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) do not grant remission in respect of the minimal supervision fee). This must be evidenced by benefit letters / payslips, etc. The OPG will not accept bank statements as evidence of income. Full details are on form OPG120.

For Further information please visit the Judiciary website for information on fixed costs and deputy remuneration.

Local Authority Remuneration

Category	Cost
Category I – Work up to and including the date the order is granted	£944
Category IV – Annual Management Fee	£982 First Year £824 - Second year and ongoing where net assets are below £20,300 – Fee not exceeding 3.5%
Category V– Annual Property Management e.g. Preparing property for Sale	£380
Category VI – Preparation and Lodgement of an annual Report or account to the OPG	£274
Category VII – Preparation of basic HMRC income tax return	£89
Travel Rates	£51 per hour for travel cost

Aged invoice payment requests

Charges will be applied where invoices or payment requested via the Provider Payment Portal are submitted more than 30 days after the end of the payment period that services were delivered in. Charges will not apply if delays have been caused by factors outside of a providers control (for example where a purchase order/service order has not been made available). Charges will be set at the following rates: 

Anything above 30 service users will be charged at an hourly rate of £19.83 pro rata.