Mr. William O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the health and social services boards in Northern Ireland have to meet the needs of those people admitted to community care from 1 April for all the costs of care required to be covered where the applicant is on income support.
§ Mr. HanleyEach board, through its units of management, is responsible for assessing the needs of individuals living within its area who require community care services. The costs of providing the necessary community care services will be met by boards. Where this includes residential or nursing home accommodation boards will seek to recover the cost from the person according to his ability to pay, irrespective of whether income support is in payment. Boards must, however, ensure that individual residents are left with at least an amount equivalent to the personal expenses element of income support payable to those in registered independent sector homes.