Clarification re. Funding Position

FAO: North Somerset Providers

We are writing to remind all care providers of the requirements relating to the admission of individuals and the agreement of funding for placements.

Under the terms of your contract with North Somerset Council, placements must not be accepted without prior authorisation from the Council’s Brokerage Team (or Emergency Duty Team where applicable).

We have recently seen instances where individuals have been admitted without this approval. We would like to clarify the position:

For council funded placements, providers should acknowledge:

·         Any placement accepted without prior agreement is done at the provider’s own risk.

·         The Council reserves the right not to fund placements where authorisation has not been obtained in advance.

·         Funding arrangements must always be agreed with Brokerage before admission, including:

o    the weekly rate, and

o    any third-party top-up arrangements, where applicable. 

In situations where placements are arranged privately by individuals or families, providers should ensure that funding is formally agreed before any transition from private to local authority funding.

Where a person has eligible needs for respite or ongoing care under the Care Act, this will be assessed and agreed by the Council. In some cases, this may be met through a placement at the Council’s standard rate

If a person chooses a placement at a higher rate than the Council would normally fund, a third-party top-up may be required in line with Council policy.

We ask all providers to ensure that these requirements are followed consistently to avoid delays, funding disputes, or risk to service users.

If you have any queries about placement processes or funding arrangements, please contact the Brokerage Team on brokerage.team@n-somerset.gov.uk