Scrutiny committee to consider proposed changes to non-residential adult social care charging policy

Norfolk County Council's scrutiny committee will consider a report on the non-residential adult social care charging policy next week. 

The report sets out proposed changes that would bring the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) in line with the minimum level set by national government. 

Councillors will also have the opportunity to examine findings from the public consultation that was carried out earlier this year. The committee will meet on Wednesday 17 July. 

Councillor Dan Roper, chair of the scrutiny committee at Norfolk County Council said: 

"The role of the Committee is to ensure that the proposals are properly examined in public in advance of the Cabinet making a decision. 

"This is a massively important issue for those residents directly affected by the proposals and those involved in their care and support.  We should take the time to examine the evidence and hear from those people with lived experience, both through the results of the consultation and during the meeting." 

The measures are being considered as part of savings that Norfolk County Council needs to make to balance its budget for 2024/25. This is also reflected in the medium-term financial projections that show a £188m budget shortfall for the county council over the period of 2025-29. 

People receiving local authority-arranged care and support, other than in a care home, need to retain a certain level of income to cover their living costs. Under the Care Act 2014, charges must not reduce people's income below a certain amount which is known as the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG).  

The proposals would see the Norfolk Minimum Income Guarantee changed to be in line with the minimum level set by national government.

A public consultation on the proposals was carried out between 19 February and 17 May this year, which received 546 responses. This presented two choices that, if implemented, would save the council around £500,000 this year, and over £1 million every subsequent year. 

The scrutiny committee will consider the report when it meets at 10am on Wednesday 17 July. You can read the papers and watch the meeting online, live or afterwards.

Members of the public can submit questions to the meeting, by contacting committees@norfolk.gov.uk by 5pm on Thursday 11 July.

For guidance on submitting a public question, please visit our Ask a question to a committee page.