S.14 social care charges - Find a freedom of information request

1. How many adults - excluding those living in a care home - were billed* for s.14 social care charges for long-term care and support in the following financial years? Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each

i) 2019/20

ii) 2020/21

iii) 2021/22

* Please include those who were billed but have not yet paid

2. How many adults - excluding those living in a care home - had debt management procedures commenced against them for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support in the following financial years? This includes individuals contacted at any stage of the debt recovery process. Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each. This may include individuals who are now deceased:

i) 2019/20

ii) 2020/21

iii) 2021/22

3. As of 1 April 2022 (or at the time of responding to this FOI, if data for 1 April 2022 is not available), how many adults - excluding those living in a care home - were involved in a debt recovery process for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support? This includes individuals at any stage of the debt recovery process. Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+, and how much was owed in total by these individuals to the local authority. This may include individuals who are now deceased. 

4. In the following financial years, how many adults have had legal action brought against them for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support? Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each. This may include individuals who are now deceased:

i) 2019/20

ii) 2020/21

iii) 2021/22

5. In how many of those cases in answers 4i, 4ii and 4iii has this resulted in criminal action being taken? Please break down the figures by the following financial years, and into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each:

i) 2019/20

ii) 2020/21

iii) 2021/22

6. Is your debt recovery process, with regard to s14 social care charges, currently managed internally (ie within the local authority) or externally (ie by a private company instructed by the local authority)? Please explain.  

7.  If the debt recovery process is currently managed externally, what is the name of the private company or companies currently being instructed by the council?

8. In how many cases, where an adult - excluding those living in a care home - has had debt management procedures against them for the non-payment of s14 social care charges for long-term care and support, has the local authority waived those debts in the following financial years? Please break down the figures into those aged 18-64 and those aged 65+ for each. This may include individuals who are now deceased.

i) 2019/20

ii) 2020/21

iii) 2021/22

I can confirm that the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1. i) 2019/20 - 1,689 under 65 & 3,071 over 65

ii) 2020/21 1,954 under 65 & 3,733 over 65

iii) 2021/22 2,177 under 65 & 2,700 over 65

2- 5. Due to data being held in different information systems collating the information isn't currently possible, LCC currently have 14413 lines of outstanding debt for those that have been in receipt of care services Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information 2000 does not oblige a public authority to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying with the request would exceed the appropriate limit. The appropriate limit is currently £450 or 18 hours at a cost of £25 per hour.

The exemption under section 12 is not subject to the public interest test Any refined request will be treated as a new request under the Freedom of Information Act. If the question could be simplified and the debtors age brackets removed it would make the task much simpler for LCC to provide the information.

6. It is currently managed by an external company however the decision has just been taken that when the contract ends 31st March 2024, the service will come back internally.

7. Serco

8. Lincolnshire County Council does not hold this information