You may be asked to contribute towards the cost of services that we provide.
How much you pay will depend on your personal circumstances. This includes things such as your age, your income, your health and which services you use.
To help you with paying your charges, we can check that you are getting all the benefits you should be getting.
The information included is correct for the period April 2024 to March 2025.
If you still have further questions or are having difficulties paying your charges, please speak to your allocated worker or the Charging Team Helpline on 01324 590735.
Frank's Law
From 01 April 2019 The Community Care (Personal Care and Nursing Care) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2019 came into force, providing free personal care to all adults over 18. This is known as "Franks' Law".
If you have been assessed by social work services and you are eligible for funded support you will be entitled to free personal care
Personal care includes:
- Help with washing as well as bathing and showering
- Help with managing continence and the use of aids and equipment
- Help to manage difficulties with getting around
- Help with eating, managing special diets or preparation of specialised meals (ie pureed foods)
If you are assessed as needing residential care you will also be entitled to free personal care funding.
The rates for 2024-25 are:
- £248.70 per week for Personal Care
- £111.90 per week for Nursing Care
Some services will still remain chargeable
- MECS
- Day Care (Under 65's
- Day Care (Over 65’s)
- Non Personal Care and Support (Over 65's)
- Non Personal Care and Support (Under 65's)
If you think you may be entitled to free personal care, please contact your local Social Work Office for an assessment.
What services carry a charge?
You may be asked to pay towards some care services, such as:
- MECS Community Alarm service – providing an alarm system so that you can get help in an emergency
- Meals on Wheels service – providing a hot nutritional meal to those people who are unable to make this themselves
- Non-Personal Care and Support – for those people aged 18-64 years
- Non-Personal Care and Support 65+ – for those people over 65 years
- Direct Payments which allow you to choose and arrange your own home care services
- Daycare for people aged over 18
What are the charges for services?
Charges are capped at affordable levels. You will contribute towards your care costs, rather than paying the total sum.
Falkirk Council applies a flat rate charge that reflects your contribution to the care you receive over a whole year. This means charges remain in place if you are absent on a temporary basis or where the service has been suspended for short periods.
Charges will be stopped after pausing MECS for 4 consecutive weeks or Daycare for 2 consecutive weeks. Charges for all other services (non-personal care and support) will be based on service provision (Service Delivery).
Charges for services are set out in the following table:
| Service |
Charge |
| MECS (18+ years) |
£4.75 per week |
| Non Personal Care & Support (under 65 years) |
£12.90 per hour up to max £34.15 per week |
| Non Personal Care & Support (over 65 years) |
£7.15 per week |
| Day care (under 65 years) |
£34.15 per week |
| Day care (over 65 years) |
£6.45 per week |
What is the maximum I will be charged if I am under 65 years?
The maximum charge, for someone under age 65, will be £34.15 per week regardless of the level or number of services you receive. If the total charge for the services
you receive is less than the maximum charge, you will be charged the lower amount.
You will only be charged:
- if you are in receipt of the middle or higher rate of care component of Disability Living Allowance
OR
- if you are in receipt of the daily living element of Personal Independence Payment, Adult Disability Payment or Child Disability Payment (Extension)
AND
Your income is more than:
for individuals
- (under 65) – £167
- (over 65) – £273
for couples
- (under 65) – £254
- (over 65) – £417
The Pension Credit qualifying age / State Pension age is determined by the UK government. You can check your own qualifying age online by checking the State Pension Age Calculator at GOV.uk.
Your assessed charge will not reduce your income to below the levels mentioned above eg if you are an individual over Pension Credit qualifying age and you receive £290.75 per week your charge would be no more than £17.75 per week leaving you with at least £273 per week to live on. Each person will be assessed individually. The income of a couple is only taken into account where both partners are receiving chargeable services.
What is the maximum I will be charged if I am over 65 years?
The maximum charge, for someone aged 65 or over, will be £17.75 per week regardless of the level or number of services you receive. If the total charge for the services you receive is less than the maximum charge, you will be charged the lower amount.
You will only be charged if your weekly income is more than:
- Single person (65 years and over) – £273
- Couples (65 years and over) – £417
Your assessed charge will not reduce your income to below these levels. Each person will be assessed individually. The income of a couple is only taken into account where both partners are receiving chargeable services.
How do I apply for a reduction in my charge?
Please complete and sign the Application for Exemption of Social Care Charges form (see below) and return it to:
We will then check information held in other systems, such as records held by our Revenues Services or the Department for Work and Pensions.
We can also check to ensure you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to. If you would like us to do this please tick the box requesting a welfare benefits check on the Application for Exemption form.
- Downloads
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Application for Exemption
DOCX file, 82.6 KB
When will I start paying for my services?
The charges will be introduced from the date the service starts. We will charge you for your services monthly in arrears. Our preferred method of payment is by Direct Debit but your invoice will explain the other ways in which you can pay.
What should I do if I am finding it difficult to pay?
You should contact us immediately and tell us why you are finding it difficult to pay. You should write to us, detailing your concerns, or phone the Charging Team Helpline:
We can arrange to check that you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to. You can request a review to be carried out in the following situations:
- the charging assessment has been carried out where we did not know relevant information or we made a mistake in calculating the charge. If we agree this happened the new decision will be backdated to the date of the original decision.
OR
- there has been a relevant change in your circumstances, in which case the new decision takes effect from the date of the change of circumstances.
In cases of hardship which arise each case will be assessed on its own merits by the Charging Review Panel. As each person has a different set of circumstances,
each request to waive charges shall be considered on its own merits. It is impossible to list what will and what will not be approved.
If you wish any further information in relation to our charges please contact the Charging Helpline:
If you would like this information in another language, Braille, LARGE PRINT or audio, please contact your local Social Work Office.