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How you choose to fund your care depends both on the type and level of care you need and your individual financial situation.
Our home is privately run, rather than being owned by a local authority, council or charity, and we are part of a larger organisation that operates a number of homes.
We understand that it is not always easy to find your way around the different possibilities but please read on to find out more about the process of paying for care, including how your finances are assessed, selling your home to pay for your fees or making top-up payments.
We’ll also signpost you to useful contacts who can provide support and guidance, although we do always recommend that you seek independent financial advice so that you have as much information as possible to hand when making decisions about your future.
The first step in the process is a local authority care needs assessment. Because the local authority will only fund care that is assessed as needed, they will evaluate your health and wellbeing to determine the type and level of care that you require.
Local authority support is means tested. So if your assessment shows that you need care services, your local authority will check out your financial situation to determine whether you should pay some, or all, of the cost of your care.
To work out whether you qualify for state funding and how much you may be entitled to, the local authority will work out how much you should pay for your care, based on the following information:
It does not include the value of personal possessions or the income of a partner or family members.
If the total value of your assets is worth less than £14,250, the local authority will pay for all of your care. If you have assets worth between £14,250 and £23,250 the local authority will contribute towards your care costs. Most people find that their funding is a combination of local authority funds topped up by personal savings and assets.
This is a weekly allowance that local authority-funded care or nursing home residents are entitled to for their personal use. This is a part of your income (from benefits or pensions, for example) that is set aside by the local authority for you to spend on items of your choice, such as newspapers or magazines, toiletries, haircuts, birthday gifts and so on. You are totally free to choose how you spend this money.
PEA is a flat-rate allowance that increases each tax year, in line with inflation. However, the amount you receive may be different, depending on where in the UK you live. If you are unsure, do ask the local authority for more information about this during the assessment process.
If you have assets over £23,250 you are likely to have to pay for your care yourself from your own income. If you own your own home, too, you are almost certainly guaranteed to exceed the upper limit for local authority funding, although the local authority financial assessment will help you make sure of this. If your income or other capital is not enough to cover the cost of your care, selling your home is one of the choices available to you.
We understand that this may not be your preferred option. You may have a partner or spouse still living there or would prefer to leave your home to your children in your will. Your home is not counted as part of your capital and you will not be expected to sell under the following circumstances:
If you do have to sell there are some alternative funding options:
To decide on the right options for you, we advise you to speak to your local authority and to an independent financial adviser.
NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding will cover some or all of your residential or nursing care costs if you have an ongoing primary health need which requires care outside a hospital. It is not means tested but may only last for a few months.
A healthcare professional will carry out an assessment, taking your views into consideration. This can be paid directly to those supplying the care or to the family to cover the costs of care. If your health is deteriorating quickly, there is a fast-track assessment which usually enables a support package to be put in place within 48 hours.
The home may ask you on admission if you have the means to pay if/when this funding ceases.
If you do not meet the criteria for full CHC funding but do have nursing needs, you may qualify for Funded Nursing Care (FNC). This fixed-rate sum is paid directly to the care home to cover the nursing component of your care. It can be paid whether you are paying your fees yourself or are funded by the local authority. We will show you (or your family) how we will account for this part of your fees.
The NHS has some useful information about local authority care assessments, NHS-funded nursing care and NHS continuing healthcare
You may also be entitled to any or all of the following benefits:
This helps pay for your personal care. It is paid directly to you at two separate rates, depending on your requirements.
Please visit the UK Government website for detailed information about Attendance Allowance.
Paid directly to you, PIP helps with extra costs arising from long-term illness or disability. It’s not means tested but the amount depends on how your condition affects you and how much help you need with daily tasks or with getting around.
If you require nursing care and are paying yourself, the home will need to see written evidence of two years’ proof of funding, such as bank statements or share certificates before you move in, or three years for residential care. The home manager can discuss this with you in more detail.
If you are eligible for financial help from your local authority their support may not cover the full cost of your care home fees. In that case, it might be possible for you to use your own money to add to the local authority’s contribution, so that you can move into the home of your choice.
If you are self funding and become a permanent resident (which means staying in our home for more than one month), your fees will need to be paid monthly in advance by standing order or direct debit.
If you are staying at the home for less than one month as a short-term resident on a respite or emergency, unplanned basis, (for example if you are ill), your fees need to be paid in full, in advance, either by direct transfer of funds or via a debit card. If you are a short-term resident and wish to stay on permanently, you will need to be able to meet our long-term requirements and provide the appropriate proof of funding. For full details, please ask for a copy of our Terms and Conditions or speak to the Home Manager.
Our fees cover the provision of the following services and facilities:
Items such as newspapers and toiletries or services, including hairdressing, chiropody and escort to medical appointments, are not included in your fees and will be added to your monthly invoice.
You may be wondering how much of your fees cover your care versus other elements. You can check this out here.
56%
Wages, National Insurance, pensions, recruitment.
25%
Rent.
8%
Food, Medical, Cleaning, Electricity, Gas, Waste, Repairs, Servicing, Redecoration, Renewals, Gardening.
6%
Uniforms, Training, CQC registration, IT, Marketing… etc
1%
Investment in and purchase of new buildings and equipment.
4%
Our residents usually start on the basis of a four-week initial trial period. This is very important as it gives you a reasonable time to see if you can settle in and enjoy life at the home and it also enables our team to see if we can accommodate all your needs safely. During this time you will have access to all the facilities of the home. Either you or the home can give notice seven days to the other if it doesn’t work out.
If you are suffering from ill-health, and particularly if you are concerned about the effects of dementia, it is important to ensure that there is someone you trust who has the authority to make decisions for you, about your healthcare and about how your money and property are managed. Click here for the making important decisions page.
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