The National Care Standards Commission (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Adoption Agencies) Regulations 2003

PART IIFEES

Registration fees

3.—(1) For the purposes of section 12(2) of the Act, the fee to accompany an application by a voluntary organisation seeking to be registered under Part II of the Act as the person who carries on a voluntary adoption agency(1) shall, subject to paragraph (2), be—

(a)£1,100; and, where applicable,

(b)if the voluntary adoption agency has, in addition to its principal office, a branch or, as the case may be, a small branch, an additional sum of—

(i)£1,100 in respect of each branch; and

(ii)£300 in respect of each small branch.

(2) Where the voluntary adoption agency has a small principal office, the fee shall be—

(a)£300; and, where applicable,

(b)if the voluntary adoption agency has, in addition to its small principal office, a branch or, as the case may be, a small branch, an additional sum of—

(i)£1,100 in respect of each branch; and

(ii)£300 in respect of each small branch.

Variation fees

4.—(1) For the purposes of section 15(3) of the Act, the fee to accompany an application by the registered provider under section 15(1)(a) of the Act, (“the variation fee”) shall, subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) be—

(a)£550, unless sub-paragraph (b) applies; or

(b)where the application is for the variation or removal of a condition for the time being in force in relation to an agency that has a small principal office only, £300.

(2) Where the application is an application for the variation or removal of a condition for the time being in force and which relates to the establishment of a branch or small branch, the fee shall be—

(a)£1,100 in respect of each proposed new branch; and

(b)£300 in respect of each proposed new small branch.

(3) In the case of an application for the variation of a condition for the time being in force where the variation of the condition is a minor variation, the variation fee shall be £50.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3), a “minor variation” is a variation which, in the opinion of the Commission, if the application for the variation of the condition were granted would involve no material alteration to the register kept by the Commission in accordance with regulations made under section 11(4) of the Act.

Annual fees — voluntary adoption agencies

5.—(1) The registered provider shall pay an annual fee and the amount of the annual fee shall, subject to paragraph (2), be—

(a)£500; and, where applicable,

(b)if the agency has, in addition to its principal office, a branch or, as the case may be, a small branch, an additional sum of—

(i)£500 in respect of each branch; and

(ii)£250 in respect of each small branch.

(2) Where the agency has a small principal office, the amount of the annual fee shall be—

(a)£250; and, where applicable,

(b)if the agency has, in addition to its small principal office, a branch or, as the case may be, a small branch, an additional sum of—

(i)£500 in respect of each branch; and

(ii)£250 in respect of each small branch.

(3) The annual fee shall first be payable (“the first date”), in the case of—

(a)an existing provider, on 30th April 2003; and

(b)a new provider, on the date on which the certificate of registration is issued,

and thereafter shall be payable on the anniversary of the first date.

Annual fees — local authorities

6.—(1) A local authority shall pay an annual fee in respect of the discharge by the authority of relevant adoption functions(2) and the amount of the annual fee shall be £500.

(2) The annual fee shall first be payable (“the first date”), in the case of—

(a)a local authority that is discharging relevant adoption functions on the date on which these Regulations come into force, on 30th April 2003; and

(b)in all other cases on the date on which a local authority first discharges relevant adoption functions,

and thereafter shall be payable on the anniversary of the first date.