Personal Care Fees and Care Home fees

Benefits, finances and funding
1

My Aunt needs residential care and I’m helping her decide whether to arrange this locally where she lives in Scotland or nearer where I live in England.

She is over the threshold and expects to pay for care. However she also receives the Higher Rate of Attendance Allowance. Since this will stop when she goes onto a Care Home, will she be expected to fund her personal care as well as her residential costs?

Thanks!

2

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/money-work-and-benefits/paying-for-your-own-care-self-funding/

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/local-authority-funding-for-care-costs-do-you-qualify

https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/financial-support/help-with-benefits/attendance-allowance#:~:text=Attendance%20Allowance%20is%20not%20payable,you%20are%20completely%20self-funding.&text=Attendance%20Allowance%20will%20continue%20to,Care%20Contribution%20from%20the%20NHS.

From above site…

Attendance Allowance is not payable after the first 28 days in hospital.

Going into a care home

Attendance Allowance is not payable after the first 28 days in a care home, unless you are completely self-funding.

Special rules apply if your council or trust is temporarily funding your stay in a care home while you sell your former home. Seek advice if you are in this situation.

Attendance Allowance will continue to be paid if you are in a nursing home and the only help you get with your fees is an amount called the Registered Nursing Care Contribution from the NHS.

If you live in Scotland and receive free personal care towards residential care your Attendance Allowance will stop after the 28 days. To find out more about free personal care contact Care Information Scotland on 08456 001 001 or visit their website.

3

Thank you Sunny Disposition. This is v helpful!

4

I think the Scottish system is different from the English system.

Be VERY careful about what you arrange, and be sure to take advice from CarersUK helpline.

It’s difficult under any circumstances, but beware a “boundary dispute” between the authorities concerned. In England you have to pay for all your costs in residential care, whereas I think it’s different in Scotland. Here, Attendance Allowance is payable until the LA takes over when her assets go below roughly £23,000.

I cannot stress enough how careful you must be!

What is wrong with your aunt, how much care does she need. If her needs are very high, she might be entitled to NHS Continuing Healthcare, in which case everything is free, but that’s an even bigger minefield!!

5

Thanks for your replies. NB-2009 and bowlingbun.

I requested a Needs Assessment for my Aunt and the social worker says the local authorities here in Scotland and down in England will match the funding for personal care. But her health has deteriorated since I last posted and now she’s under the care of Hospital at Home and will be transferred to the care of the Nursing Home in the next few days. I’ve been advised to apply for Continuing Healthcare and was advised to Contact Beacon, who have been supportive. They;'ve pointed out to me where my Aunt’s health needs match the criteria on the checklist, how to proceed and where to seek support if an appeal is necessary.

This is the link to Beacon if anyone else in England needs advocacy for a relative for Continuing Healthcare Funding -
https://www.beaconchc.co.uk/how-we-can-help/

6

Be careful. Is there a similar scheme in Scotland so she will be transferred automatically??
You might end up with a sort of boundary war.
Please contact Carers UK for further informed advice.

7

Thanks, bowlingbun. The line’s been busy but someone’s taken my number for a call back.

8

I have lived most of my life in Europe and I know that in Europe everything depends on a certain country, somewhere closer to the west pensioners are most often given free care products, and closer to eastern Europe everything is already a little worse

9

This is an old thread, I have locked it.