Coronavirus (COVID-19) - social care workforce payment: guidance on the process for Shared Lives Schemes

Guidance for those who work in a Shared lives scheme. This includes registered managers and Shared Lives carers.


Timing and definitions

Timetable

SG to send guidance with forms to complete and letter to go to Shared Lives scheme carers - 7 July 2021

Deadline for Shared Lives scheme organisers to send in completed forms - end August 2021

SG to send out grants to all 15 Shared Lives schemes - 7 September 2021

Shared Lives schemes grants to be returned - end September 2021

SG to send funds to Shared Lives schemes - 14 October 2021

Shared Lives schemes to send funds to their carers - 31 October 2021

Definition of eligible Shared Lives carer 

Those who are eligible are those who work as a member of the Shared Lives scheme, managed by the Shared Lives scheme, providing services to the supported person. Those who have since left or retired who worked at least a 4 week continuous period are also eligible.

If a Shared Lives carer has been summarily dismissed (instant dismissal for gross misconduct) they are not eligible to receive the payment. Carers on career breaks are also not eligible.

Shared Lives carers may be involved in different work arrangements, for example, live in care, short breaks or day support. Some are paid a monthly fee, others will need to work out hourly rates as described below.

Fulltime Equivalent (FTE) calculations 

The payment is capped at £500 and will not exceed this amount, in total.

For eligible Shared Lives carers, the payment will be based on average hours over the qualifying period between 17 March and 30 November 2020. 

Definition of Full-time Equivalent – Office for National Statistics (2018) (p.5):

A “full-time equivalent unit”, sometimes abbreviated as FTE, is a unit to measure employed persons in a way that makes them comparable although they may work a different number of hours per week. The unit is obtained by comparing an employee's average number of hours worked to the average number of hours of a full-time worker. A full-time person is therefore counted as one FTE, while a part-time worker gets a score in proportion to the hours he or she works. For example, a part-time worker employed for 20 hours a week where full-time work consists of 40 hours, is counted as 0.5 FTE.

Part-time definition

The calculation for part-time  is based on a calculation of the pro rata determined by average hours worked over the qualifying period between 17 March and 30 November as a percentage of full time.

Shared Lives registered managers are requested to exclude “weeks not worked” due to leave (annual, sickness, parental or otherwise) or because they were not in post at this time.

Alternatively, for those who meet the eligibility criteria but did not work during the full eligibility period it is at the discretion of the Shared Lives registered managers to use a suitable 4 week period.

The calculation is as follows: 

  • average number of hours worked during the calculation window x (1 / Shared Lives  carers normal full time hours e.g. 37.5 hours per week) = FTE
  • if the Shared Lives carer’s normal full time hours are 35 hours per week the calculation would be: Average number of hours worked during the calculation window x (1 / 35) = FTE
  • if the Shared Lives carer’s  normal full time hours are 37.5 hours per week the calculation would be: Average number of hours worked during the calculation window x (1 / 37.5) = FTE

Example:

If Susan works an average of 30 hours per week during the calculation window and her  normal full time hours are 37.5 hours per week, defined by her registered Shared Lives manager, the calculation would be 30/37.5 = 0.801. This should be rounded to the nearest decimal, so Susan’s FTE = 0.8.

An excel spreadsheet calculator (under supporting documents) is provided to support this calculation. This calculator is provided for guidance only.  It is down to Shared Lives registered managers to satisfy themselves that calculations are correct.  The calculator is provided for your own use and should not be submitted as part of your form submission.   

Full-time definition

Those who worked full-time hours per week as defined by the Shared Lives scheme registered manager, should receive the full £500.

Multiple paid social care roles

Shared Lives scheme managers should notify Shared Lives carers that it is their responsibility to make sure that, when they have more than 1 paid social care role and work more than full time, the maximum payable will be £500. 

If a Shared Lives carer works more than full time they should notify one of their Shared Lives managers and ask for their payment to be reduced.  If a Shared Lives carer has already received their thank you payment from a social care employer they should tell their Shared Lives scheme.

Leavers

Shared Lives carers who have since left or retired but who were working in adult social care  for a minimum of a continuous 4 week period between 17 March and 30 November 2020 are eligible.

Shared Lives scheme managers should contact Shared Lives carers who they believe to be eligible and ask if and how they would like to receive the payment.  This is included in the standard form of words for communication.

For Shared Lives managers who wish to claim on the behalf of an eligible Shared Lives carer who has since died, we would invite you to claim in the same manner as outlined in the guidance. Payment can then be made to a personal representative or the executor of the Shared Lives carer’s  estate.

The payment form will ask you to provide numbers and FTE for your leavers.  A separate timetable will be put in place for making payments to eligible Shared Lives carers who have since left or retired. 

If a Shared Lives carer has been summarily dismissed or de-approved (instant dismissal for gross misconduct) they are not eligible to receive the payment and should not be included in payment numbers submitted.  If a dismissed care worker has their dismissal overturned or found to be unfair they will be eligible to receive the payment.

Tax and benefits

For those Shared Lives carers who are self-employed, it is their responsibility to ensure they pay their own National Insurance and tax on this payment. Any enquiries related to income tax should be directed to HMRC. Anyone in receipt of benefits should seek advice from the DWP. Important information for those in receipt of benefits is provided in the ‘more information’ section of the guidance

Concerns over receiving payment

Scottish Government Ministers wish to recognise the extraordinary effort that Shared Lives carers have made during the pandemic.

Shared Lives managers are encouraged to provide their Shared Lives carers with the standard form of words for communication, which encourages them to consider the important information provided for those in receipt of benefits and notify their Shared Lives manager if they have any concerns about receiving the payment. 

Shared Lives managers  are encouraged to work with Shared Lives carers to consider options, for example taking the payment in instalments over a period of time, in order to minimise impact on benefits.  We may ask you for total numbers and FTE numbers of Shared Lives carers who have notified you of concerns and discuss with you potential alternative approaches to the payment.

Audit/evidence required

The Scottish Government and the Shared Lives schemes funding the support must make all reasonable efforts to ensure that all eligible Shared Lives carers receive the payment as quickly as possible. 

There is an acceptance across Shared Lives schemes of open book accounting as has been adopted successfully for other schemes. This will allow for sample testing or spot checks when they are considered necessary.

It is an individuals' responsibility to ensure that they are not paid more than the sum they are eligible for. If it does happen the carer would need to repay to their Shared Live organiser, who would repay to Scottish Government.

Data management

Each Shared Lives scheme is responsible for ensuring the data they collect and retain complies with the relevant General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and any other relevant Data Protection legislation.

We will only collect and retain summarised data – setting out the number and FTE PAs by each Shared Lives manager and award amount. This information will be shared with the Scottish Government for payment purposes.

Self-declaration

The Shared Lives carer by agreeing to the calculation of hours that they have worked accepts that they are eligible for this sum.  

Resolution of issues and complaints procedure

The £500 thank you bonus payment is being paid by the Shared Lives scheme organiser on behalf of the Scottish Government. The payments are made in accordance with the eligibility criteria set by the Scottish Government. Any issues should be resolved between the Shared Lives organiser and the carer during the validation process. If the Shared Lives carer is unhappy with the payment calculated they should contact the Shared Lives organiser, if the issue is with the eligibility or guidance this should be reported to PA500@gov.scot for resolution. 

We aim to resolve complaints informally within five working days. If they can't resolve the issue, you can take your complaint to stage two of the complaints procedure.

If you are not satisfied: investigation

  • email sgcomplaints@gov.scot
  • write to Scottish Government, Complaints, 1E.10, St Andrew's House, Edinburgh, EH1 3DG

An Investigating Officer will be appointed to prepare a comprehensive report and, where appropriate, will recommend improvements.
We will:

  • acknowledge receipt of your complaint within three working days
  • where appropriate, discuss the complaint with you to understand why you remain dissatisfied and what outcome you are looking for
  • provide a full response as soon as possible and within 20 working days

We will tell you if our investigation will take longer and will agree revised time limits with you. After we have fully investigated and you remain dissatisfied, you then have the option of asking the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) to investigate your complaint.

Independent investigation of your complaint: ombudsman

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) is the final stage for complaints about public services in Scotland and may be able to independently take up a complaint on your behalf. The Ombudsman will normally only be able to act if you have followed the steps above.

To find out about the Ombudsman's work, visit the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman website, or write to the office at: Freepost SPSO (this is all you need write on the envelope, and you do not need to use a stamp).

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