Deputy Office Consultation

Closed 14 Nov 2016

Opened 3 Oct 2016

Contact

0118 937 4609

wellbeing.service@reading.gov.uk

Overview

We want to know what you think about some possible changes to the charges we make for using the services provided by Deputy Office. We are interested in hearing from:

  • customers of the deputy office,
  • their family, friends and circle of support,
  • advocates and community and voluntary organisations who represent vulnerable adults who may use the deputy office services.

All replies we receive will be put together to help the Council decide if these changes should go ahead and how.  We really value your opinions. They will help us plan services in the future.

If you use the Deputy Office now, what you say will not affect the services you receive at the moment or how much you are currently charged.

Please provide as much information as you feel is necessary to help us understand the impact the proposed changes are likely to have on you.

 

Why your views matter

Why we are thinking about making changes

We can apply to become someone’s deputy or appointee to help them manage and make decisions about their own financial affairs. We only do this when a person has no one else who can assist them. 
 
We need to make sure we have enough funding to keep the Deputy Office running. This is a specialist service which we know is valued by many Reading residents. However, the Council receives a lot less funding from central government now than it used to. This means we have to make some hard choices about which services we can continue and how.
 
We already ask people who can afford it to pay for some of the Deputy Office services they receive. We make sure this is in their financial plans.  This won’t change.  At present we don’t charge for all services for example annual property checks and maintenance, funeral arrangements or travel costs.  Our proposal is for fees and charges, where applicable to deputy office customers, to be set at the same rate.  The amount will be based on either the actual costs of providing the services, or from guidance from the Court of Protection.  It would not be to make a profit for the Council.  This is how Deputy Office services are funded in other local authority areas already.   We think the proposed charges are fair to everyone who uses the service, and also make sure that the service is affordable for the Council.
 
If we make these changes, this will help us ensure we can keep providing the Deputy Office service in Reading. If it costs us more to run the service than we receive in charges, then we may have to cut back on Deputy Office services or other Council services. Deputy office customers will be notified of the outcome of the consultation and if any changes are made, these are likely to happen in January 2017.
 

Areas

  • All Areas