DPA005 Recovery of the DPA

DPA005 records more details about the DPAs that ended during the year where the funds were fully recovered. The tables collect data by age band, and whether the DPA came to an end during the lifetime of the holder or not.

The following data are recorded on the measure DPA005:

The number of DPAs recovered in the period, broken down by the length of time they have been in place.

The data are split by the reason for the end of the DPA (due to death of the holder or DPA concluded during the lifetime of the holder).

The data are split by the age bands 18 to 64 (in table 5a) and 65 and over (in table 5b).

The overall number of DPAs recovered in DPA005 should match the corresponding number from the activity section DPA001.

DPA concluded during the lifetime of the holder

This should include cases where the person has used the DPA as a ‘bridging loan’ (and the person has sold their home and repaid the LA during their lifetime), and cases where the person (or someone acting on their behalf) has chosen to repay the amount owed to the local authority independently of their home.

Recording age bands in the 18 - 64 or the 65 plus table

This should be dictated by the age of the deferred payment holder on the date the agreement was signed.

Should partially recovered DPAs be included in DPA005

Partially recovered DPAs should be counted as written off DPAs and included in the relevant sections of DPA001 and DPA002 only. They should not be counted in DPA005.

Historic debts 

The guidance notes seem to state that historic debts that are still under the old HASSASSA arrangements should be included, but further down there is a statement that they should not be included. Does this mean that if the Section 22 arrangement has in effect ceased (for example the client is deceased for example), and no further residential charges are accruing on a daily basis, although there is still outstanding debt, we do not need to include these? However, if the section 22 arrangement is ongoing and the service user is still incurring additional residential charges on a daily basis then we should include these?

This is correct. Historic debts under HASSASSA arrangements should only be included in the return if the debt is still accruing and the DPA is for an individual receiving care in a care home, and has been secured against a property.

The term written off 

Does the term “written off” refer only to situations in which the equity of the property does not fully cover the costs of care provided, or does this category instead refer to other situations in which the client is unable or unwilling to settle the outstanding debt?

Written off refers to any situation in which the council has decided to write off the debt, whatever the reason the council has for this, including the situation described in the question.

If the individual is a self funder 

If an individual is a self-funder (by this we mean they are funding the care package entirely themselves), then they would not be granted a DPA, and we would therefore not collect the data for DPA004. Could you please clarify what you are actually asking us to provide data on?

In the same way can you clarify what is needed with regards to the user contributing from income to costs of care?

For the purposes of this guidance self-funders are defined as people who do not qualify for financial support from a LA to pay for their care and support needs i.e. they have more than £23,250 in capital. A DPA is a means by which individuals can access the equity in their home to pay for their care without having to sell it. The costs of care paid for through the DPA will be recovered when the agreement ends.

The first banding “DPA for full cost of residential or nursing home place” refers to individuals where the DPA covers the full cost of their care.

The second banding “User contributing from income to costs of care” is for use in situations where the cost of care is still met entirely by the client, but through a combination of DPA and contribution from their income.