Care funding – who qualifies?
Where do you need care?
We can provide care in your home anywhere in England & Wales
Who qualifies for care funding?
We understand that care funding can be a bewildering issue and process, with many people unsure about the funds they’re entitled to and how they can access or use these.
Firstly, in order to distinguish what specific type of funding – healthcare funding or social care funding – you may be entitled to, it is important to make the distinction between the two types of care.
Definitions of social care and healthcare are somewhat ambiguous, and it is therefore important to explore all options and seek advice from medical or legal professionals to make this distinction where uncertainty prevails.
However, the below definitions provided by the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care should help to get you started:
Healthcare needs – “Whilst there is not a legal definition of a healthcare need (in the context of NHS continuing healthcare), in general terms it can be said that such a need is one related to the treatment, control or prevention of a disease, illness, injury or disability, and the care or aftercare of a person with these needs (whether or not the tasks involved have to be carried out by a health professional).”
Social care needs – “In general terms (not a legal definition) it can be said that a social care need is one that is focused on providing assistance with activities of daily living, maintaining independence, social interaction, enabling the individual to play a fuller part in society, protecting them in vulnerable situations, helping them to manage complex relationships and (in some circumstances) accessing a care home or other supported accommodation.”
What contribution will you need to pay towards care?
If you live in England, the threshold after which you will have to pay for your care in full is £23,250. If your assets exceed this amount, which includes most savings and investments, your local authority will consider you able pay for care yourself. It is important to remember that for care within your own home, the value of your property will not be taken into account.
You can ask your local council for a Financial Assessment to see if you qualify for help towards your care costs.
This assessment will look at your financial means and calculate whether:
- The council pays for all of your care
- The council pays for some of your care and you pay for the rest
- You pay for all of your care
What happens in a Financial Assessment?
The local authority will review your ability to pay for your care based on your income and assets. A Financial Assessment Officer will visit you in your home and look at details such as:
- Income
- Savings
- Pensions
- Benefits
- Property
- Stocks and shares
Once you have provided them with all of the information relating to your finances, they will inform you whether you are entitled to have all, some or none of your care paid for. The council will usually help to pay for your care costs if you have assets less than £23,250.
If you are entitled to receive support, this will be provided via a direct payment as part of your personal budget. The council will also reassess your financial situation on an annual basis..
Joint savings
In calculating your financial situation on any assets jointly held, only the proportion you are deemed to own is taken into account. For example, for a couple which has £30,000 in savings in a joint bank account would be seen as having £15,000 in assets.