When providing care and support services to an adult with eligible needs, the Council must promote the individual’s wellbeing. The services that will be provided to meet need and promote personal wellbeing will be determined by the needs assessment. When an adult is destitute and facing hardship as a result of having no recourse to public funds, accommodation and financial support will usually need to be provided to meet their eligible care and support needs.
A person with high needs may be provided with a residential placement or supported accommodation. When care can be delivered within the community ordinary accommodation may be provided, such as a room in a B&B, hostel or shared house. Some councils will place adults in a self-contained property or specialist supported accommodation. As support may be required for a lengthy period whilst immigration claims are being resolved, it is important that councils consider how they can source and provide accommodation that will adequately meet the adult’s needs during this period.
The person will usually need to be provided with financial support (or subsistence). As support may be ongoing for several months or possibly years, this will need to be provided at a rate which ensures that the person’s welfare and wellbeing needs are adequately met.
The person may need to be provided with subsistence payments to meet their essential living needs, and other financial support when this is required to meet their care needs, for example, additional travel costs if they have mobility issues. As support may be ongoing for several months, or possibly years, subsistence payments will need to be provided at a rate which ensures that person's welfare and wellbeing needs are adequately met.
Each council will make its own decision about how much financial support is paid to a person. Social services may refer to internal guidance that sets out basic amounts, which should be made available to anyone receiving support. Social services would need to consider what amount would be reasonable to meet the person’s essential living needs as well as any additional needs that have been identified in the needs assessment. Amounts may be varied depending on the person’s circumstances and what other income is available to them. For example, a person living in residential care may receive a lower amount than a person who is living in the community. The Council may need to include an amount to cover the cost of utilities and council tax if these are not paid directly to the accommodation provider. Payments are increasingly being made on pre-paid cards or into a person’s bank account in order to reduce contact whilst Covid-19 remains a public health risk.
Depending on the person's immigration status and the reasons why they are destitute, social services may need to signpost the adult to get legal advice about their immigration case, benefits advice, and/or assistance with finding employment.
