Home Care | Funding your Care
You have a variety of funding options for your care. State provision is mainly means tested and is a postcode lottery. There are a number of different benefits depending on your exact situation. The first port of call should be your Social Services department. They will, free of charge assess your care needs. They will then assess your ability to pay.
The Surrey County Council (SCC) website can be found at http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/
As a rule of thumb you can assume that if you have more than £25,000 of capital (excluding your home) and have income of more than £150 per week you will be paying for some or all of your care.
If you are funded by Surrey Social Services you will be funded in your home until you need more than 21 hours a week of care. Once you need more than 21 hours of care a week it will be more cost effective for SCC to place you in a care home. You can of course top up your Social Service care package with private funds from family, from savings, or from equity release schemes. If you do look at “Financial Services” Products to help pay for care, we strongly suggest you take Independent Financial Advice from an appropriately qualified person.
If Social Services decide to fund your care they will normally place it with a local agency. However you may be able to choose who provides your care through the system of “Direct Payments” . These are local council payments for people who have been assessed as needing help from social services, and who would like to arrange and pay for their own care and support services instead of receiving them directly from social services.
If you already receive social services care your local council is probably obliged to offer you the option of Direct Payments in place of the service you currently receive. If you're not receiving social services to get Direct Payments you will need to contact your local council to ask them to assess your needs.
However in some circumstances you may be eligible for Continuing Care. Continuing care is fully funded medical, nursing and personal care which may be provided in the individual's own home. This is funded by the Primary Care Trust. The 21 hour per week cap does not apply to Continuing Care – but it is hard to get.
You should also consider applying for Attendance Allowance. Attendance Allowance is a tax free benefit for people aged 65 and over who need help with their personal care. There are two rates. The higher weekly rate is £62.25, the lower rate is £41.65. This is NOT means tested You can claim by downloading the form from the government web site on www.direct.gov.uk, or by ringing the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 882200.
Also look at Carer's Allowance. Carer's Allowance is a benefit to help people who look after someone who is disabled. You do not have to be related to, or live with the person you care for. The basic rate is £46.95 per week. You can apply online on www.direct.gov.uk or get information from the Carers Line on 0808 808 7777.
Disability Living Allowance is a tax free benefit for children and adults who need help with personal care or have difficulties with walking.You can claim online from www.direct.gov.uk or get a claim pack from your local Jobcentre Plus or Social Security Office or by phoning the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 882200.
Independent Living Fund. The Independent Living Fund (ILF) is designed to help you, if you are disabled, to live independently at home rather than in residential care. Payments from the fund can be used to employ people to give personal and domestic care in your own home. The maximum amount payable is £455 per week.
Self Funding . As the name implies, this is when you pay. Recommended only when all other options have been tried.
We also suggest you go to the following website www.careaware.co.uk CareAware UK is a non profit making public information, advisory and advocacy service specialising in elderly care funding advice in the UK. Very useful when evaluating your funding options. Also see the rest of our Links.
*This information has been prepared in good faith by Better at Home. However this is a complex matter that is subject to change from time to time. We cannot therefore accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions in this document.
