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Adult social care information for professionals in Northumberland.

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Latest information for staff and partners

"Fair cost of care" survey, 2022

Reports on a survey of the costs of care homes for older people and visit-based home care services carried out during summer 2022 to prepare for the planned (but subsequently deferred) implementation in October 2023 of reforms to adult social care funding.

The government's Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) asked all local authorities responsible for adult social care to survey care homes for older people and home care services in their area about the costs of providing their services.  The specific reason for carrying out these surveys in 2022 was the plan to change the statutory framework for adult social care in ways which would entitle anyone needing care home accommodation to ask the local authority to contract for this, regardless of their financial circumstances.  After the survey was completed, and the results submitted to DHSC, it was announced that those reforms would be deferred for two years, and we are not certain whether they will now proceed in their original form.

Because local authorities usually at present contract only for people who cannot afford to pay care home fees themselves, the reforms would have made local authorities responsible for many people who under the current system would contract with a care home privately.  Since many care homes for older people charge higher fees to private residents, this could have caused significant financial issues for both care home operators and local authorities. The government's expectation was that the survey would provide an indication of the extent to which fees paid by local authorities might need to rise as this change took effect, to minimise the impact on care home operators.  The government had also carried out financial modelling which suggested that many local authorities were paying fees for both care home accommodation and visit-based home care services which were not as high as was necessary to sustain the long-term viability of the services.

DHSC published an impact assessment about the charging reforms that the Government was expecting to introduce in 2023 (PDF document) which explains their expectations about the impact of the reforms on care homes, and the increases to fee levels likely to be required. Guidance about the "fair cost of care" survey was published in July 2022.  A summary of the background is available in a report to the council's cabinet about the survey and the associated Government grant (PDF document) .

The submitted documents are available below.

The council's submission

The council submitted in October 2022 the documents required by DHSC summarising the results of the "fair cost of care" survey and explaining its current plans for assessing the fees required to sustain care homes and home care services.  It did not publish these documents at the time, since it understood that DHSC wished to review the submissions before publication, to ensure that the calculations included in them were robust and based on good quality evidence.  Following the decision to defer the planned reforms, DHSC told local authorities in late December 2022 that they should now publish their submissions without waiting for DHSC approval.

The documents as submitted to DHSC are available through the links below.  These include the draft "Market Sustainability Plan", which the local authority is not required to publish, and which is now mainly of historical interest, since it discusses in detail what the implications of the planned reforms were expected to be.  However, we have published it along with the survey reports in the interests of transparency, and because some of the issues which it discusses might again become relevant if the Government confirms the provisional intention to implement the same (or similar) reforms in 2025. DHSC have told us that we will be asked to produce a final Market Sustainability Plan on a different basis; we do not yet have details of their expectations for that.  They have also indicated that they may still ask some local authorities to review the documents about the survey that they have submitted.  We have so far had no indication that they will ask us to review the documents below, but we will publish revised versions on this page if DHSC contact us and we conclude that we should make changes.

As explained in the documents and the report to the council's cabinet about this exercise, our conclusion was that, while the surveys provided useful information about the costs of services, there were too many issues about the data for it to act directly as a guide to future fee levels.  Our understanding is that a similar conclusion was reached by many other local authorities, though varying assumptions were made about how best to calculate the figures returned to DHSC.

Tables showing the figures from the survey as submitted to DHSC are included in this Excel spreadsheet.  Explanations of how these figures were calculated are included in two separate documents, one covering the survey of care homes, the other the survey of home care services. The council's intended approach to setting fees in future (as it was in October before the deferment of the reforms) is in the Provisional Market Sustainability Plan.

There are some minor redactions from the documents as submitted to DHSC.  In the explanation of the care home survey results, we have redacted some information which could have identified information supplied in confidence by individual care home operators.  In the Market Sustainability Plan, we have redacted one paragraph discussing legal issues.

These documents were prepared to meet a tight timetable for the submission, and include some editing errors and typos, which we have left uncorrected since the sense is still clear.  In the case of the explanation of the home care survey, two brief passages of unrelated text became accidentally included in the document as submitted; we have removed those from the published versions above to avoid confusion.

If you have queries about any of these documents, please let us know by email to contracts@northumberland.gov.uk.

Northumberland market sustainability plan, March 2023

Find out about our Market Sustainability plan.

The final Market Sustainability Plan adopted by the council in March 2023 is available here.

Information for professionals about adult safeguarding

The following documents have been produced to assist professionals undertaking safeguarding adults work.

For Adult Social Care staff:

If you are a member of adult social care staff and want to report a concern. Please complete a Request for a decision form, then submit to the safeguardingreferrals@northumberland.gov.uk.

To report a crime:

In an emergency, contact the police, phone: 999

If the person is not in immediate danger, contact the police, phone: 101

 Safeguarding Adults multi-agency policy and procedures

Northumberland multi-agency Safeguarding Adults policy and procedures provide an overarching framework for Safeguarding Adults and sets out what actions staff and agencies should take to protect adults at risk of harm from abuse.

Professionals should refer to the multi-agency safeguarding procedures and staff guidance to inform their actions when there is a concern about abuse or neglect.

Click here to view the Northumberland Safeguarding Adults policy and procedures.

Professionals may also consult the NCASP Safeguarding Adults Risk Threshold Tool to inform their decision making.

Click here to view the NCASP Safeguarding Adults Risk Threshold Tool.

A range of further practice guidance is also available to assist professionals, please see 'practice guidance' section below.

Safeguarding adults meetings documentation

Templates for Safeguarding Adults Strategy, Planning and Review meetings are available below: 

Practice guidance

Local policies, procedures and working practice information for professionals:

Briefings and 7 minute briefings:

Northumbria Missing Adults Protocol:

Regional 7 x 7 Self-Neglect 7 minute briefings:

National reports of interest

Domestic abuse/multi risk assessment conference

To find out more information on how to help if you believe someone you know is the victim of domestic abuse, please see the Domestic Abuse website. 

MARAC - Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference

A MARAC is a meeting where information is shared on the highest risk domestic abuse cases between representatives of local police, health, child protection, housing practitioners, Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) and other specialists from the statutory and voluntary sectors.

A victim should be referred to the relevant MARAC if they are an adult (16+) who resides in the borough and are at high risk of domestic violence from their adult (16+) partner, ex-partner or family member, regardless of gender or sexuality.  

After sharing all relevant information, they have about a victim, the representatives construct a joint risk management plan that provides professional support to all those at risk and that reduces the risk of harm.

The aim of the MARAC is to manage the risk to the adult victim but in doing this it will also consider other family members including any children involved and managing the behaviour of the perpetrator.  Information shared at the MARAC is confidential and is only used for the purpose of reducing the risk of harm to those at risk. 

At the heart of a MARAC is the working assumption that no single agency or individual can see the complete picture of the life of a victim, but all may have insights, knowledge and expertise that are crucial to their safety.

To make a referral to MARAC, please contact your Agency's designated MARAC lead.  If you are not aware of who your MARAC lead is, please contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub via OneCall. 

If you require further information or advice contact:

Lesley Pyle
Northumberland & North Tyneside Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence Coordinator
Email: lesley.pyle@northumberland.gov.uk 

The single point of contact for Adult Social Care MARAC referrals is:
safeguardingreferrals@northumberland.gov.uk
Tel: 01670 536400

Useful links and information

Safeguarding training

On behalf of the Northumberland Children and Adult Safeguarding Partnership (NCASP), a range of multi-agency safeguarding adult and associated training is available.

If you work for Northumberland County Council and have a Learning Together account, please access safeguarding adults training via your personal log-in.

If you work for the private, voluntary & independent sector you can access safeguarding adult training via our on-line learning platform - Learning Together. If you already have an account, please use your log-in details. If you do not have an account and wish to apply, please contact learning and organisational development who will be able to assist with your registration. E-mail: peopleandculture@northumberland.gov.uk

Alternatively, you can also apply by contacting the social care training team who co-ordinate and manage the safeguarding adult training programme. Please e-mail: socialcaretraining@northumberland.gov.uk

For further information, advice and/or guidance about Safeguarding Adults and associated training please contact:

Leigh Waller, social care training team manager
Phone: 07580 309219
Email: leigh.waller@northumberland.gov.uk

Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)

Mental Capacity Act

The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 applies to everyone involved in the care, treatment and support of people aged 16 and over living in England and Wales who are unable to make all or some decisions for themselves. The MCA is designed to protect and restore power to those vulnerable people who lack capacity. 

The MCA provides the legal framework for making decisions on behalf of people who lack the mental capacity to make decisions themselves. 

For further information please see the Mental Capacity Fact sheet 

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)apply to vulnerable people in England and Wales, aged 18 or over, who have mental health needs (this includes dementia), who are in hospitals and care homes, and who do not have the mental ability to make decisions about their care or treatment. 

If they lack capacity, or are unable to make these decisions, then the law allows decisions to be made in their best interests. To meet the requirements for an assessment under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards the following criteria must be met: 

The person must lack capacity to consent to their care or treatment in the care home, hospital or other supported living arrangement. 
The person is not free to leave. That means the person is not free to live where they want or with who they want. 
The person is under continuous supervision and control. For example, do staff always need to be aware of where the person is, who they are with and make checks and take action if there is any doubt about this?

If the above criteria are met, the local authority will undertake an assessment. This will be carried out by a best interests assessor and a specialist doctor, and will involve speaking to family or friends, or appointing an independent mental capacity advocate. The assessment will decide how long the authorisation will last (maximum 12 months), and when it will need to re-assessed. The person will be provided with a representative during the period of authorisation and has the right to challenge through the Court of Protection.

If the above criteria are met and the person is being deprived of their liberty in any other living accommodation, then the local authority may need to apply to the Court of Protection to seek their authorisation. If so, then we would need to consult with the person, their carers, relatives and representatives. 

For further advice or information please contact:
DoLS team
Email: dolsnorthumberland@northumberland.gov.uk
Phone: 01670 629 700

For further information relating to Mental Capacity and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding please see this section of the Safeguarding Adults procedures.

Related guidance

Supporting people living with dementia to be involved in adult safeguarding enquiries.

Tricky Friends

Tricky Friends' is a short animation originally developed by Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board. The aim is to help people with learning disabilities, as well as children and young adults, understand what good friendships are, when they might be harmful, and what they can do.

This can be used by carers, family, professionals and organisations, to raise awareness and help keep them safer while enjoying relationships.

Operational guidance

Operational guidance for front line staff on key processes and functions.

This page contains operational guidance for front line staff. 

Key guidance documents

Current versions of key guidance documents for our front-line staff are below.  These are documents which may also be useful to professionals in partner agencies and others. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and other procedural documents likely only to be of interest to adult social care staff working within the council are available to staff connected to the council network in SharePoint. 

Needs Assessment Handbook (last updated June 2024) - guidance for social workers and care managers about assessing needs and planning care and support. This includes links to legislation and statutory guidance, an explanation of how we expect staff to carry out needs assessment and care and support planning, and detailed advice about how best to use our current assessment forms. 
Options Guidance Handbook - guidance for staff working with people who ask for help with specific care and support needs, but who does not currently wish to have a comprehensive needs assessment. Anyone in this situation who has continuing care and support needs should be sent a letter confirming that they are entitled to a full needs assessment if they subsequently decide that they would now like to have one.  Some terminology in this guidance is out of date, but the basic guidance which it offers is still current. 
NHS funding after hospital discharge - guidance about when the NHS will fund care services for people who are awaiting an assessment of their eligibility for NHS Continuing Health Care funding, after screening in for assessment while in hospital. There is also a flowchart showing the process graphically.  Both documents reflect the position from 1 April 2022, when temporary special arrangements introduced during the Covid pandemic came to an end.

 Guidance sheets

Joint Equipment and Loans Service (JELS)

The Joint Equipment Loans Service (JELS) service provides equipment to people who live in Northumberland, or who are registered with a Northumberland GP, to help them maintain their independence in the community and continue to live safely in their own home. 

Referrals come from health and social care professionals following an assessment by a professional requisitioner e.g. district nurse, community nurse, care manager, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, paediatrician.

Electronic Requisitioning 

We have replaced our operating system with a new Equipment Loans Management System (ELMS2). 

To access the system, you will need to be registered, please send an email to JELS@Northumberland.gov.uk confirming your name – designation – base – phone number and email address. 

Once you are registered you can access the ELMS2 system by clicking here 

If you have any questions or queries, please refer to the attached user guide in the first instance or liaise with your team champion/colleagues for the solution.  ELMS user guide 

If you continue to have a query do not hesitate to contact JELS using the JELS@Northumberland.gov.uk email address and a member of the team will get back to you.

Contact Details 

Joint Equipment Loans Service 
Northumberland County Council  
43 Colbourne Crescent 
Nelson Park Industrial Estate 
Cramlington 
NE23 1WB 
Phone Number: 01670 730595 
JELS@Northumberland.gov.uk 

Elms2 Online Access Module

Residential care to supported living

The council has developed a process for deregistering residential care homes and moving to independent supported living where all or most of the residents remain on site.

Moving to supported living

The sense of security and independence that comes with taking on your own tenancy can help people feel more stable and confident about the future. It can also allow people more freedom of choice about their living environment and make better use of their income.

A number of current registered residential services might now consider the potential benefits of independent supported living and will benefit from further information to inform any decision to change their status.

The protocol document below supports a person-centred approach and the eight step individual pathway. This also includes good practice guides and resources to assist you through the process.

If you are considering this option, please contact us before you progress by emailing us at:

contracts@northumberland.gov.uk

Resources

Become a Shared Lives carer

Information about becoming a Shared Lives carer.

A Shared Lives carer must be willing to include the people who comes to live or stay with them in their home life, their local community and their network of family and friends. 

Shared Lives carers come from all walks of life, they don’t need any formal caring experience, but experience or knowledge of caring or sharing their home would be an advantage.  

A Shared Lives carer also needs to have a spare room suitable for someone to live or stay in and the agreement and support of all the members of their household. 

To become a Shared Lives carer, you need to go through an assessment and approval process. This involves home visits to the applicant, discussions with all members of the household, rigorous checks and references and attendance at pre-approval training sessions.  

The process can take about three to six months. 

Shared Lives carers are paid a weekly fee to cover the rent, household costs and care and support that they offer to people who stay with them. This is covered by a special tax arrangement with HMRC and many Shared Lives carers pay no income tax on their earnings. 

Shared Lives carers will need to arrange appropriate insurance cover through the specialist insurance scheme for Shared Lives carers. Training required will be arranged by Shared Lives Northumberland at no cost to the carers. 

Our Shared Lives workers offer advice and information to guide you through every step of the process.   

Shared Lives Carers Fees 

Being a Shared Lives carer is a paid role. The fees we pay to a Shared Lives carer will depend on what sort of service you offer, how many people you support and what sort of support needs each person has. 

You will be paid a weekly fee of £447.65 for each adult you support. This covers all expenses and includes an allowance for the carer. The fee is made up of a contribution made by the person you look after, and the rest, when applicable is paid by Northumberland County Council. 

A Shared Lives carer must be registered as self-employed for tax purposes and the carer’s fee must be declared. HM Revenue & Customs treats the income from Shared Lives in a similar way to that of foster carers and have agreed a beneficial tax arrangement for Shared Lives carers. You can download the HMRC tax guidance for Shared Lives carers (still called adult placement carers) here. 

Your Shared Lives worker will guide you through the tax procedures and insurance arrangements you need to make to be a Shared Lives carer.  

Support for carers 

Our Shared Lives carers offer an essential service to adults in Northumberland who need support so it is important to us that you feel valued and supported when you take on this role.  

Shared Lives workers 

You won’t be on your own. Each Shared Lives carer is supported by a Shared Lives worker to give you the support you need to be a carer. 

Our Shared Lives workers are skilled and experienced social care workers. They will support you with each arrangement and make sure you are happy with how things are going and offer advice and support. They will also make sure that your carer’s fees are paid, make arrangements for you to have a break from caring and carry out regular home visits.

The adult social care worker/manager

The person you look after will have their own social worker/care manager who arranges their care at home and will carry out home visits. They can also give you practical advice and support. 

24 hour advice and support

During office hours (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) you can contact the Shared Lives team, social worker/care manager who is responsible for the person you look after by calling the adult social care team on 01670 536 400.  

Outside of these hours and in the event of an emergency you can contact our emergency duty team via Onecall on 01670 536400 for advice and support. 

Training

We will provide you with training to help you prepare for your role as a Shared Lives carer and there is an annual training plan for every Shared Lives carer.  

At your yearly carer’s review which is carried out by the Shared Lives manager additional training needs and opportunities will be discussed and arranged as required.

Support groups and events

We hold regular meetings and support groups for Shared Lives carers. These provide the opportunity to socialise, meet with other carers and share experiences. 

Paid breaks and respite 

Being a Shared Lives carer can be tiring and sometimes can be intensive and stressful. Our Shared Lives workers will help you to access support to take breaks from your caring role. 

Phone: 01670 536 400 

Write to: 
Shared Lives Northumberland 
County Hall 
Floor 1 Block 3 
Morpeth 
NE61 2EF 
Email: SocialCare@northumberland.gov.uk 

News for staff and partners
Northumberland market sustainability plan, March 2023
Information for professionals about adult safeguarding
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
Operational guidance
Joint Equipment and Loans Service (JELS)
Residential care to supported living
Become a Shared Lives carer

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Last updated on 16/05/2025 14:37

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