Frequently Asked Questions

MOVING INTO A CARE HOME
WHO PAYS FOR WHAT?

Moving into a Care Home can be a difficult time, the rules and regulations when deciding who pays the fees, including nursing care, can be complicated. Here we have tried to answer some of the more commonly asked questions. We cannot however give individual financial advice but have supplied a list of useful contacts.

Who qualifies for Council funding?

• If person has capital below £22,000.00 the Council will pay towards the Care Home fees.
  
• A financial assessment by the Local Authority will determine what the resident’s contribution will be, this is usually pension income less a personal allowance.

Who decides which Care Home?

• The person moving into the Care Home has the right to choose which one, it does not matter whether they are getting help from the Council or whether they are paying the fees privately as long as the Home;
• Has a place available
• Can meet the care/nursing needs
• Complies with the Councils set terms and conditions
• Fees are not more than they would normally pay.

Do Social Security Benefits stop? Are there other benefits I can claim?

• Housing benefit will stop
• Income Support will continue at the same rate as if living at home
• Attendance Allowance will stop after 4 weeks if the council is paying towards fees. If you are paying your fees privately Attendance Allowance will continue. This is a non-means tested, non-taxable benefit, current rates are £44.85 per week if you need care during the day and £67.00 if you need care both day and night.
• If you need nursing care you will be entitled to NHS Nursing Care Contribution from your local Primary Care Trust (PCT) currently £103.80 per week.
• If your main need is healthcare you may be entitled to NHS Full Funding from your local PCT

How much is Personal Allowance?

• Personal Allowance is paid with weekly pension, the current rate is £21.15 and will be deducted from the total pension before working out the resident’s contribution.
• There may be times when the resident receives the majority of a couple’s income leaving the spouse at home with insufficient income to maintain his/her lifestyle. The Council may increase the resident’s personal allowance so they can continue to support the spouse living at home.

What is Capital?

• Capital is the total value of savings, bonds, shares property and land owned by the resident.
• When capital is in excess of £22,000.00 the resident will pay the full cost of care.
• The council will pay towards fees when capital is below £13,250.00.
• When capital is between £22,000.00 and £13,250.00 a charge against the capital will be made at the rate of £1.00 for every £250.00 over £13,250.00

Can I transfer my capital to someone else? (Deprivation of Capital)

• During the financial assessment the Council may consider that a resident has ‘deprived’ themselves of capital in order to reduce accommodation charges.
• A transfer may be considered as ‘deprivation’ regardless of the time of disposal if it was considered to be with the intention of avoiding accommodation charges.
• If the Council decides there has been deprivation of capital it will consider the resident as having ‘notional capital’, they will treat the resident as having the capital and charge for accommodation.
• Where a resident transfers capital to avoid accommodation charges within 6 months of assessment of needing care the council has the power to recover the cost from the person/s to whom those assets were transferred.

Do I have to sell my property?

• If you do not put your house on the market the council will lend you money against the value of your property which will be re-paid once the house is eventually sold, however they may limit how much they will pay and because it is not on the market it will be treated as capital and subject to its value.

Will the Council pay my fees whilst I sell my property?

• If savings are below £22,000.00 the council will disregard the value of the property and pay towards the cost of care for the first 12 weeks. After 12 weeks the Council will recover any payments received from the eventual sale of property.

How will this affect my partner?

• Property occupied by a partner will be disregarded, 50% of any private pension and 50% of joint savings.
• A married partner can be asked to make a ‘liable relatives contribution’ towards the cost of care, however because government intend to abolish this councils have been given extra money so they do not apply for the contribution.

What will happen when I run out of money?

• Once your capital reduces to the upper limit you can ask the Council to pay towards the fees. The Home will negotiate with the council an agreeable weekly fee.

USEFUL CONTACTS

Age Concern
Freephone information line - 0800 00 99 66
www.ageconcern.org.uk

Counsel and Care
Advice Line - 0845 300 7585
www.counselandcare.org.uk

Department for Works and Pensions
Attendance Allwoance - 0845 712 3456
www.thepensionservice.gov.uk
www.dwp.gov.uk

Help the Aged
Advice Line - 0207 278 1114
www.helptheaged.org.uk

NHFA Care Fees Advice
Care Advice Line - 0800 99 88 33
General Enquires - 0186 573 30 00
www.nhfa.co.uk