Surrey County Council’s Adult Social Care Charging Policy

Overview

The government allows councils to charge people who can afford to contribute towards the cost of their care. The money raised helps fund adult social care, making sure that support is available to those who need it.

The rules about how much can be charged are set by national laws and guidance, specifically the Care Act 2014. In Surrey, we’ve been charging people less than the national guidance allows for care provided at home or in the community. 

However, when less money is collected through charging, there’s less funding available to run and improve the care services that many people rely on.

To help make sure that adult social care can continue to support those who need it most, we are proposing to make changes to our charging policy for community care services. These proposed changes are aimed at creating an approach that is fair, consistent and financially sustainable for the future.

Please note, we are not proposing changes to the policy for people living in residential or nursing care. People will also not be affected if they have capital of less than £14,250.

Full details about the proposed changes to our Adult Social Care Charging Policy for community care services is available to download in a range of formats from the related documents section at the bottom of this page.

If you would like a copy of this proposal in hard copy, you can contact us using the details provided in the contact details section of this online platform and within the document itself.

We are now inviting you to share your views by completing our consultation questionnaire, either online here on this platform or by using one of the alternative formats of the questionnaire, located in the related documents section at the bottom of this page.

Thank you.

Closing date

This consultation is open from 16 June 2025 and will close at 23:59 on 7 September 2025.

Attending an in-person event

We will be holding in-person events to help with any queries about the proposed changes and to offer support to share your views. The drop-in sessions will be taking place at the following libraries on these dates:

• Woking Library: Thursday 26 June 2025 between 10am to 12pm
• Camberley Library: Tuesday 1 July 2025 between 10am to 12pm
• Godalming Library: Wednesday 9 July 2025 between 10am to 12pm
• Walton Library: Wednesday 16 July 2025 between 10am to 12pm
• Horley Library: Tuesday 22 July 2025 between 10am to 12pm

Privacy statement

Any personal information you choose to provide will be kept confidential and used in accordance with our privacy notice.

Accessibility  

You can find our accessibility policy online. Alternative versions of the questionaire can be found in the related documents section at the bottom of this page.  If you require the questionaire in a different format, language or in hard copy (including a stamped addressed envelope to return the questionaire), please contact Surrey County Council as follows:

• Telephone: 01372 832370
• Textphone (via Relay UK): 18001 01372 832370
• British Sign Language: www.surreycc.gov.uk/bsl
• Email: chargingpolicyconsultation@surreycc.gov.uk
• Write to us: Surrey County Council, Financial Assessments and Income Collection Team, Woodhatch Place, 11 Cockshot Hill, Reigate, RH2 8EF