Find out more about funding your care
Many people assume that being cared in their own home is beyond their financial capacity, but actually, this is not always the case. There are a variety of funding options available that can assist you, your family or your loved one to remain in the comfort of the home.
Priority Services4U guide to meeting care costs
Should you wish to find out more on the options you have for funding for your care or the loved ones, we have tried to put the guide below and sources or links to which provides a clear picture on how you can pay for the care you are looking for.
Please feel free to look into it.
The Guide…
What to do first?
First thing is to ensure that an assessment of the care in need is done by your local Adult Social Services department. Once the needs are established, is when the finance could be discussed realistically. For more information on Care and support needs assessment of your loved ones and how to request it, press the link below
What is a needs assessment?
A needs assessment determines what help or support you need with your care, and how you might get it. It is usually carried out by the local Adult Social Services Department. It might involve a number of professionals together to minimise the number of visits.
They are all guided by the care act 2014 sets out the minimum threshold of need that the local authority should support, and the processes how to do it. It places wellbeing at the centre of parent’s support needs, and takes into consideration their wishes, like if they wish to stay in their own home; then when planning for their future plan, then this must be taken into consideration.
The support must meet the minimum needs threshold for it to be considered viable. And this is the measured outcomes on things such as the ability to carry out personal care, managing nutrition and mobility, and balances one’s wellbeing versus risk.
Check this site for more information:
NHS Social Care and Support Guide – Assessment of care needs
What are the options if my capital assets are over the threshold?
With this situation, you have some options to pay for your home care,
You can:
- Immediate Needs Annuity
- Downsize home
- Release Equity
- Gaining a regular income from the savings investments
Check these sites for more information:
Do you qualify for Local Authority funding of care costs?
The Local Authority will do a financial assessment to means test whether your parent has more than £23,250 (England) in savings and/or assets; if so, then it is likely that they will need to fund their own care or fund part of it. If the capital assets turn out to be lower than the current threshold, then you can apply for them for Local Authority funded care. Upon qualification, you decide who you want to provide for the support needs.
Check this site for more information:
NHS Social Care and Support Guide – Direct Payments and Personal Budgets
Means test, how it works?
This means test or financial assessment is carried out by your Local Authority.
They look at:
- Regular income: such as pensions, benefits, or earnings
- Capital: Such as cash savings and investments, land, and property (including overseas property), and business assets
If you have more than £23,250 in savings, then you can be charged for your home care services.
Check this site for more information:
NHS Social Care and Support Guide – Financial Assessment
Protecting your parents’ home & savings
If you or your family transfer or deliberately deprivate the asset in order to protect it and get the care in need funded by the Local Authority, then if local authority found that out during financial assessment, and indicates there was clear pattern before applying, then they may treat this case as if that asset was still there.
Moreover if financial gifts was given within six months before the parents are admitted to care, then the Local Authority could also lawfully claw the cash back to pay for the care fees.
Check this site for more information:
Age UK Fact Sheet – Deprivation of Assets in Social Care
Attendance Allowance
If you are disabled and State Pension age or older you may be able to claim Attendance Allowance to apply for financial help for your personal care .
Check this site for a claim form:
Paying for care privately and ‘topping up’
It is not that difficult, Check out the funding care calculator at elder Check this site for more information:
Elder Calculator
Booking Our Care Staff
Although having more notice always helps us, but we will always do our absolute best to provide care staff for the shifts you need, even at very short notice. So please feel free to call us on the number below, even if the shift has already started.
If a day shift or night shift is booked it will be confirmed via email and you will get an invoice showing both shifts as completed and ready for payment.
Things you should get for free
Check this site for more information:
Age UK Fact Sheet – Adapting your Home
Should you want more help, on finding the right place for you or your loved ones care services, please get in touch with us, and Priority Services4U team will be more than willing to answer any of the questions you have.
We are ready to help.