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HELPLINE: 0845 017 7720
About 40% of people living in residential care are “self funders” who pay their own fees and costs. For people who cannot afford the fees, the Local Authority may fund the care, as long as the need is agreed. This funding is means tested. Other arrangements apply to people who need long term medical or nursing care. Funding residential care is a very complex subject and we strongly recommend that you get expert and independent advice, whether from our helpline 0845 017 7720 or another source.
What help may be available?
This article gives a brief overview of arrangements for funding residential care:
http://www.bettercaring.com/editorial/article3.aspx?id=1752
This booklet from Counsel and Care is a comprehensive guide to paying care home fees in England
http://www.counselandcare.org.uk/assets/library/documents/16_Care_Home_Fees_Paying_them_in_England.pdf
Local Authorities usually place a limit on the level of fees they will pay, but it may be possible to pay “top up” fees in order to secure admission to a home that charges more. Information on “to-ups” can be found here:
http://www.housingcare.org/downloads/kbase/2820.pdf
Arrangements for funding continuing medical and nursing care are described here:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/SocialCare/Deliveringadultsocialcare/Continuingcare/DH_079285
The Alzheimers Society has published a useful and practical guide to NHS funded continuing care, which can be found here:
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/downloads/when_does_the_nhs_pay_for_care.pdf
People who fund their own care (and also those receiving care in their own homes) may be entitled to a non means tested benefit to help with the cost - the Attendance Allowance
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/Documents/IS13CarehomefundingandAAFeb08.pdf
Financial Assessment
General information is to be found in the documents mentioned under the heading “What Help May be Available”. Anyone seeking help with funding from the Local Authority will need to complete a Financial Assessment to determine whether or not they may be eligible for public funding. Information about local arrangements can be found through the links below.
Guidance on funding of Care Homes and Nursing Homes from Essex County Council can be found here:
http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/content/binaries/documents/leaflets/Residential.pdf
Guidance from Southend Borough Council can be found here:
http://www.southend.gov.uk/resources/Res%20charge%20leaflet.pdf
Guidance from Thurrock Borough Council can be found here:
http://www.thurrock.gov.uk/socialcare/pdf/cc_residential_charges.pdf
“Continuing Care” (medical and nursing care) is the responsibility of your local PCT (Primary Care Trust) and details of local arrangements for assessment, placements and payments can be found on the website of the relevant PCT.
The R&RA(Essex) is supported by all the PCTs covering Essex, Southend and Thurrock. The "Sponsors" section of this site has links to all their websites. Click on the relevant logo.
Your Home
This is the question that most concerns many people thinking about residential care. Although the value of your home is taken into account in the financial assessment, the law is complex and the need to sell is not a forgone conclusion.
There is a good introduction to the issues here:
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/Documents/FS38Treatment_of_the_former_home_as_capital.pdf
If you have any doubts about this aspect of the assessment, we recommend that you call the helpline 0845 017 7720, or get expert information from another reputable source.
Funding Your Own Care
If you decide to fund your own care, or are not eligible for help from public funds, you may still wish to take advantage of specialist advice about the best way to manage your finances. The links included in the section “planning ahead” are repeated here:
A number of Independent Financial Advisors specialise in planning for retirement and future care. To find a specialist advisor in your area:
http://www.unbiased.co.uk/find-an-ifa/
Telephone: 0800 0853250
Alternatively, Age Concern also offers unbiased financial planning advice for retirement and future care
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/financial-advice.asp
Telephone: 0845 685 1077
Help the Aged also offers unbiased advice about financial planning for old age, including information about Equity Release
http://www.helptheaged.org.uk/en-gb/AdviceSupport/FinancialAdvice/
If you are considering Equity Release you may find this booklet helpful:
http://www.firststopcareadvice.org.uk/downloads/resources/a-guide-to-equity-release-9-2008_109.pdf
The Factsheets published by Counsel and Care also cover a range of issues relevant to funding your own care:
http://www.counselandcare.org.uk/helping-you/factsheets/allfactsheets/
Don’t forget that you may be entitled to an Attendance Allowance, which is not means tested:
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/Documents/IS13CarehomefundingandAAFeb08.pdf
If Funds Run Out
When planning to finance residential care, it is important to look ahead and take into account the possibility that funds may run out at a future date. For this reason it may be helpful to get in touch with your Local Authority at the time of admission to discuss this possibility.
If the situation should arise, it is important to contact your Local Authority as soon as possible in order to avoid the distress and disruption that could occur if new arrangements are not made in a timely way.
In the first instance, contact:
Essex: 0845 603 7630 (e mail SocialCareDirect@essexcc.gov.uk)
Southend: Social care general enquiries: 01702 215000
Thurrock: Carers Centre: 01375 413705.
HELPLINE: 0845 017 7720
| © 2008 The Relatives & Residents Association (Essex)