Appeal a decision about what you must pay for your care

Things to consider before you make an appeal: 

1. Make sure you have had a final decision. We can only consider an appeal if you have had a final decision from us. If you are unsure, contact us on 01305 228762.   
2. Speak with your Financial Assessment Officer. They will go over the decision with you and amend anything that is incorrect.  
3. Check you are within 28 days of getting your final decision. We can only accept appeals up to 28 days after the date you received your final decision.   
4. Read our list of common themes for appeals which can be found at the end of this page. You will see examples of decisions on appeals that have already been made.

 

If you are unhappy with a decision we’ve made you can formally appeal.

Appeal a decision about what you must pay for your care  

You can appeal the decision by completing our online form. 

Once in the form, select "First - if this is the first time you are appealing." 

Start now

A senior member of our team, who was not involved in the assessment, will confirm receipt and investigate your appeal. You can expect us to respond within 21 working days from that date. 

As part of our investigation, we may need to contact you, or another person such as your social worker or GP, for more information. 

Once our investigation is complete, we will write to you. We will let you know about our investigation, conclusion and the outcome of your appeal. 

You can ask for a review of the appeal decision. 

Review the appeal decision 

You can appeal the decision by completing our online form. 

Once in the form, select "Second - if you have already made an appeal but are unhappy with the outcome". 

Start now  

A senior member of our team, who was not involved in the original review, will confirm receipt and investigate your appeal. You can expect us to respond within 21 working days from that date. 

As part of our investigation, we may need to contact you, or another person such as your social worker or GP, for more information. 

Once our investigation is complete, we will write to you. We will let you know about our investigation, conclusion and the outcome of your second appeal review. 

Ask for an independent review by the Local Government Ombudsman

You can contact the Local Government Ombudsman to ask for an independent review of the decision. 

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry, CV4 0EH 

Advice line: 0300 0610614 or 0845 6021983.

Ask for an independent review of a decision about what you pay for your care online. 

Why do I have to pay towards my care costs? 

Social care (care not provided by the NHS) is not free. You can apply to your local authority for assistance with funding towards the cost of your care if you cannot meet the full cost yourself. The local authority will work out what you are able to pay with a financial assessment. 

What is the guidance used to complete my financial assessment? 

Financial assessments are completed in line with the Care Act Guidance 2014. 

What are my responsibilities if I am representing somebody else? 

You can find out more about what you must do if you: 

• have Power of Attorney 
• are a deputy 
• are an appointee 

What are the rules on making gifts? 

Check the rules about making gifts. 

Who decides the amount I need to live on (the minimum income guarantee)? 

Dorset Council adopts the minimum income guarantee set by the government to cover your living costs. From April 2022, the minimum income guarantee will go up in line with inflation each year. Find out more about the minimum income guarantee (Gov.uk). 

What is disability-related expenditure? 

Disability-related expenditure is an amount you are allowed to keep to cover expenses you have because of your disability. 

These expenses should be detailed in your Care and Support plan. They will be considered if you have evidence, like receipts. Find out more about disability-related expenditure. 

If I now have more income or capital, do I have to pay any extra for my care from the date of the changes? 

Yes. If you do not tell us about a change in your circumstances, we will backdate any resulting changes to the date of the change. 

This includes changes to your benefits, even if the only change was the name of the benefit and the amount remains unchanged. This is because different benefits may be treated differently in your financial assessment. 

Why is Disability Living Allowance counted differently to Personal Independence Payment when I get the same amount? 

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are different benefits and are treated differently in your assessment.  

DLA pays an amount towards night care services and an amount for day care services. The amount you get for night care was not counted in your assessment. 

But PIP does not include an amount paid for day and an amount paid for night care. So we count the total paid in your assessment. 

Who do I contact if I am unhappy with the care and support I’m getting? 

If you are unhappy with your care and support, you should contact us. 

Who do I contact if I have a query about an invoice? 

If you have a query about an invoice or a payment plan, please contact the Credit Control team on 0300 3301373.