Politics
Hertfordshire Adult Social Care Shifts: St Albans Council Changes Care Services April 2027
St Albans residents will see shifts in eligibility assessments and council tax contributions for care services from April 2027 under the new legislation.
How we reported this
The Hertfordshire Adult Social Care Funding Bill, introduced in the county council last month, establishes a phased implementation schedule that begins with updated eligibility rules in April 2027. The legislation affects residents who receive or may need home care, residential support or direct payments through St Albans City and District Council. It replaces the current means-testing thresholds with a single national framework adjusted for local costs.
The bill arrives as Hertfordshire County Council prepares its 2027-28 budget, following three years of rising demand for adult care placements reported in the authority's annual accounts. Policy analysts note that similar funding adjustments in neighbouring counties took 18 months from royal assent to first resident notices. The timeline therefore places initial letters to existing service users in January 2027.
Changes for St Albans households
Households in St Albans wards such as Marshalswick and Verulam will first encounter the new rules during annual financial assessments conducted by council staff. Those currently contributing toward care costs may face revised charges calculated on updated income bands set out in schedule 3 of the bill. Residents who employ personal assistants through direct payments will receive new contract templates by March 2027.
The legislation states that local authorities must publish revised charging policies by December 2026. St Albans City and District Council has already allocated staff time in its forward plan for the required public consultation sessions scheduled at the Civic Centre in October and November this year.
According to the bill's accompanying impact assessment, Hertfordshire expects to handle an additional 1,200 financial reassessments in the first year of operation. The government says the policy will align local contributions with a county-wide formula that uses 2025 spending data as its baseline.
Next steps include a second reading debate in the county council chamber on 22 July 2026. Once passed, the measure requires secondary regulations on assessment forms and appeals procedures, which the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has indicated will be laid before Parliament by November. St Albans residents will receive a single explanatory leaflet with their council tax bill in March 2027.