Finance & Welfare

There are schemes to help with financial arrangements and welfare rights.

This section contains information about:

  • Council Tax Application for Disablement Relief
  • Financial Assessment
  • Direct Payments

Below is information about:

  • Adults with Incapacity Act
  • Edinburgh Disability Benefits Centre
  • Citizens Advice Bureau

Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act

The Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act is a new law to help people with a learning disability, dementia, mental ill health, a head injury or a physical disability which prevents communication to manage their affairs.

Adults (individuals over 16) can appoint someone else to act on their behalf. The new law is intended to improve the rights of individuals to control their own lives while ensuring that they get all the help they need.

Please see the leaflet "Its your Decision" - available from Social Care or the NHS Helpline 0800 22 44 88.

 

The Edinburgh Disability Benefits Centre

Deals with welfare benefits for the whole of Scotland (except the former Strathclyde region) including Attendance Allowance for people over 65 and Disability Living Allowance for people under 65.

Please see the leaflet "Edinburgh Disability Benefits Centre" available from Social Care or call 0800 666 555 for free general benefits advice.

Benefit entitlement will be discussed with you at the time of your assessment.

 

Citizens Advice Bureau

For advice and information about welfare rights and home visits contact:

Welfare Rights Officer

Shetland Islands Citizens Advice Bureau

Market House, 14 Market Street, Lerwick ZE1 0JP Tel: 01595 694696 or Fax: 01595 696776

e-mail: sicab@zetnet.co.uk

Visit the website at : www.cas.org.uk

or the Government Benefits Site at: www.dwp.gov.uk

 

Equalisation of Residential Care Charges 2008 - 2009

Shetland Charitable Trust operates a scheme to equalise residential care charges for Shetland residents who receive their care in one of the residential care settings in Shetland.

The underlying principle of the scheme is that no Shetland resident will have to pay more than the benchmark charge of £467.00 per week for their care.

A subsidy will be paid to all residents of care homes who pay the full charge and who have been resident in Shetland for at least one year. The benchmark charge for 2008/09 has been set at £467.00 per week. The amount of subsidy will be the difference between the benchmark and the actual cost of care. It is understood from the Inland Revenue that the subsidy, as a charitable gift, will not be liable for tax.

Eligible residents admitted to one of the Council's care homes will be asked to sign a mandate, to allow Shetland Charitable Trust to pay the subsidy directly to the Council. This will mean that the subsidy can be deducted from the Council's invoices. Alternatively the client will be required to pay the Council's charges in full, and the subsidy will be paid to the client by the Shetland Charitable Trust.

Eligible residents in the Walter and Joan Gray Home, Scalloway, which is run by Crossreach, will be invoiced for the benchmark charge of £467.00 per week. Shetland Charitable Trust will pay the subsidy directly to Crossreach.