Adult Social Care precept

In 2015, the Government created the Adult Social Care (ASC) precept, which allowed Councils that provide Social Care to adults to charge an additional amount for Council Tax with effect from 1 April 2016.

The precept is part of Council Tax and so is not linked to whether or not taxpayers receive social care services. If they already pay for care services they receive, the precept does not replace these charges.

The basic charge is the council tax before any other additions, such as police or fire precepts (Police and Fire precepts are added into the Council Tax bill as Sandwell Council collects money on behalf of these organisations). The total charge on Council Tax bills is comprised of a figure for Sandwell Council, an amount for Police and Fire and now an amount for ASC. The figure will be different depending upon which valuation band the property is in.

It is a government requirement that this charge is shown as a separate line on the bill, and that the cumulative figure is shown.

A summary of the calculations of the ASC amounts based on a property in Council Tax band D is shown below.