Paying for Your Care
Many people may think that they cannot afford the cost of care in their own home. As more and more information is available about paying for care, more people are selecting to remain independent and stay in their own home.
The financial planning around care can sometimes be confusing, but by researching a bit and gathering information about the different options available can make decisions a lot easier and clearer.
Publicly Funded Care
In certain cases, financial resources are available from the government. Everyone has the right to ask to be assessed by Social Services to see if they meet the requirements. This can include a community care assessment and finance assessment, which is means-tested.
Direct Payments
For those who have been assessed as needing care services, your Social Worker may offer you direct payments. If you choose to take direct payments, your local council will pay you directly so that you can arrange and pay for your care. The aim is to help to support you living at home and to encourage maintaining independence with employment, education and leisure activities.
Currently, the Government has planned to increase the number of people getting direct payments, and increasing the number who benefit from this service. As long as you are eligible for support with funding the council must consider providing direct payments, rather than providing the service itself.
Here are a few frequently asked questions on direct payments:
What are the benefits of direct payments?
Direct payments allow you to:
- Make more decisions about the care you will get
- Decide who is providing the care
- Plan care and services at times which suit your lifestyle
- Decide between employing an agency or your own staff
How do I know if I can receive direct payments?
You should initially contact your local Social Services, and they will appoint a Social Worker to assess your needs and manage your case. If you are deemed to need help from Social Services, you can then receive payments to buy your own care rather than receiving state-provided support.
- Eligible individuals included
- Other and disabled people aged 16 or over, assessed as needing support.
- A person with parental responsibility for a child assessed as needing support.
- Carers aged 16 and over.
What if I am not able to manage a direct payment on my own?
In addition to allowing you the option of having a direct payment, Social Services can usually refer you to their care services, or direct you to a local care group, to help you plan and setup your care. They can also provide care in the interim period so you have time to plan and arrange your own care according to your needs. If you would rather choose a responsible individual to help, you are entitled to ask them to manage the direct payment scheme.
What if I require more support than the value of my direct payment?
Since you buy your care directly, you can choose to add your own financial resources to buy care above the amount of your direct payment. This way, you can not only purchase your care from the agency or person you wish, but also buy in services beyond those in your assessment, if you want.
For further information on the Direct Payments scheme, contact your local Social Services, or visit the Easy Guide to Direct Payments setup by the DoH.
Independent Living Fund
The Independent Living Fund is funded by the central government and supports people with disabilities to continue to maintain their independence and live in their own homes, instead of residential care.
Payments cover the cost of employing, or hiring a care agency, to provide people with disabilities the help they need to live in their own home.
There is a list of things that the fund cannot be used to pay for, to understand what cannot be paid for with the fun, you can read more on the Government website.
Privately Funded Support
If you cannot get public funding or would rather pay for your care privately, you will need to find and purchase your care independently. This can be both time-consuming and overwhelming considering the different options available and often conflicting information.
If you would like help with financial planning, we strongly recommend contacting an impartial Financial Advisor who specialises in Care Fees. They can discuss options with you such as:
- Equity Release
- Funding Support Fees
- Estate Preservation
- Wealth Preservation
For more information on funding from the NHS’s website, please follow this link http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/guide/practicalsupport/Pages/Chargingforcareathome.aspx]
Supporting You in Your Home
Whether you pay for your care privately or get public help, we can deliver a high standard of care service to you, individualised to your requirements.
If you would like to make an initial contact with us to receive a quote based on your individual needs, contact us now
Telephone: 0113 234 1660
Email: info@elderlycare-services.co.uk