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Funding your live-in care

We completely understand that many people will worry about the potential cost of their live-in care. However, at ANA Nursing we do our utmost to keep our prices as low as possible while maintaining the best standards; and you’ll be interested to find that, conditional on eligibility, there are some government benefits that could help out too.

We are of course not qualified to offer you advice on which method of funding you should pursue – for that you will need to speak to an independent financial advisor – but here is a summary of a few options that are available to you.

Government help with your live-in care funding

When you go to your local authority to ask for funding help and advice they will ask their social services department to carry out an assessment to check whether you qualify for government assistance. Currently this means that if you have less than £23,000 in capital (some local authorities may include the value of your home in this figure, others will not) they will most likely part-fund your help at home; if it is above £23,000 you will be classified as self-funding until your capital drops below this figure.

For the specific rules that your local authority follows you will need to speak to them directly. Assuming that you are eligible for benefits to help fund your health care at home, here are a few you should know about:

  1. Continuing Care

    Funded by the NHS and your Primary Care Trust, Continuing Care entitles you to be looked after in your own home by a live-in carer. To be eligible, you’ll first have to be assessed as having a “primary health need”, meaning that you have both a complex medical condition and a need for substantial on-going support. Your GP can refer you for an assessment to see if you qualify for this live-in care benefit.

  2. Attendance Allowance

    Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit for anyone aged 65 and over who needs help with personal care. It’s not means tested, and is available to everyone who meets the criteria. The rate varies according to how much assistance you need. To find out more visit the Direct Gov website.

  3. Disability Living Allowance

    This is a tax-free benefit designed for people who are under 65 and need mobility and personal care assistance as a result of a disability or illness. Visit the Direct Gov website. for more information.

  4. Pension Credit

    For those over 65, Pension Credit offers two types of benefit: Guaranteed Credit promises a minimum level of income and Savings Credit is a top-up for those who have savings or other private income. For more information or an assessment, call the Pension Credit Helpline on 0800 991234.

 

Self-funding your live-in care

If you don’t qualify for government funding, you’ll need to think about paying for your own live-in care. Aside from savings there are many different options available to you, such as:

  • Equity release schemes, designed to release capital you have stored in your property so you can use it now without having to sell your home.
  • Annuity schemes, which require a lump sum payment for a lifetime of income to help pay for your live-in care.
  • Trust loans, which are lump sum loans given by you to your trustee, which they invest and provide you with an income from in the form of loan repayments.

To find out more about these live-in care funding methods and more you should speak to an independent financial advisor – they will be best placed to offer advice on the best plan for your individual circumstances.