Disclosure Log
adult social services charging policy (FOI/5796)
Message from Nottinghamshire County Council - 30 May 2025
Dear ***** *****
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION REFERENCE FOI/5796
Thank you for your request for information relating to adult social services charging policy:
1. Does your adults social services charging policy (or the practice required of your social services assessors and care planners during earlier stages of the Care Act process) mention a persons receipt of PIP/DLA Mobility Component as a reason for your adult social services department not funding transport to services within their Personal Budget (services that are being commissioned in the persons care plan to meet the persons eligible unmet needs)
As part of our assessment conversation we identify a need for transport, we ask the person about their entitlement to PIP/DLA mobility component and explore alternatives options to meet their transport needs such as travel training, voluntary transport schemes, family etc prior to funding transport services.
A copy of our charging policy is attached.
2. If so, is it possible for the person to provide evidence that their Mobility Component income is not otherwise available for such transport, in order to bring about a different outcome regarding the scope of their Personal Budget
Yes
3. Does your adults social services charging policy (or the practice required of your adults social services assessors and/or care planners during earlier stages of the Care Act process) state that a persons request for a disregard from income of privately incurred Disability Related Expenditure on the persons transport needs will only be allowed to the extent that and for the sum by which their transport expenditure exceeds the PIP/DLA Mobility Component
Our financial assessment team set up the transport charge for everyone who we provide transport to. Charges for transport are in addition to the amount the person is assessed as having to contribute towards the cost of their care and support (see point 26 of the policy). However, where the financial assessment team are advised that this is not affordable they are able to consider transport costs as Disability Related Expenditure. They will only make an additional allowance for transport costs within the financial assessment if transport costs are more than the amount of mobility benefit plus £9.62 per week. The mobility benefit is a benefit which is paid to people to help them with their disability and £9.62 per week is considered to be a reasonable amount a person can expect to spend on travel costs per week.
Here is the link to our guide ‘What is disability related expenditure’
A copy of our charging policy is attached.
4. If in doubt about whether the wording in your charging policy or practice guidance to staff has the effect of the stances at 1) and 3), above, please just provide us with the wording related to Mobility Component, and any link to the document that might be found online.
Included at point 3
We trust this now satisfies your request and that you find this information to be helpful.
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Requests should be submitted within 40 working days of the date of receipt of the response to your original request and should be addressed to: Complaints and Information Team, Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, NOTTINGHAM, NG2 7QP or [email protected]
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, WILMSLOW, SK9 5AF or https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/foi-and-eir-complaints/
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Your privacy: we use your personal information such as name and address so that we can comply with our legal obligations to respond to FOI requests. For further details about the use of information about you, please see the information handling privacy notice on our website at https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/media/4323566/informationgovernanceandinformationrightsprivacynotice.pdf
Yours sincerely
Complaints and Information Team
Chief Executives Department
Nottinghamshire County Council
The Council is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring all personal information is kept confidential and safe. For more details see our general and service specific privacy notices at: https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/global-content/privacy
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