Respite Care - understading funding by LA

[BSH]

Hello,

This is my first time posting, a long time reader.

My mum has mixed Alzheimer's / Dementia and was cared for by my dad at home with the assistance of carers coming 4 x a day. My dad is very ill in hospital and mum has gone into respite care for the first time. She is on her second week of respite.

The LA has asked us to complete a funding form, asking for financial details of their all my parents Allowances, savings and house ownership. They are in receipt of several allowances as although they own their home (bought as right to buy as a council tenant in the 80's for vastly reduced sum) they have no private pensions or other income.

The receive jointly Pension credit with the guarantee element. The receive zero balance care allowance but it has been awarded. Both receive state pension. Mum receives higher rate attendance allowance, dad receives lower rate * attendance allowance. Please could you help with the following as I am lost in this process with the LA.......

• If they receive joint benefits e.g. Pension Credit - what figure do I provide to the LA for my mum?
• They own the house jointly, what figure (asking for a valuation) do I give the LA for my mum?
• How do we know how much the care home is costing the LA - what is mum & dads total allowance for a care home per week? Should the LA tell me this?
• How do I know how much top up they will have to pay? The LA have advised we may have to pay this?
• I thought there was discretion for families not to pay top up fees for respite care by the LA (read this on the v.com web pages)?
• Mum is likely to be in longer term care than 6 weeks respite care as my dad is so ill. She may not be able to return home. How does this work with the financial allowance for a care home by the LA - how do we know how much we have to spend to choose a care home? Do we even get a choice?
• Would mum be able to stay in the respite care home longer term?

Thank you so very much for any help you can provide.

 

[nitram]

• If they receive joint benefits e.g. Pension Credit - what figure do I provide to the LA for my mum?

Ask CAB or AgeUK for advice

• They own the house jointly, what figure (asking for a valuation) do I give the LA for my mum?

I would simply write 'jointly owned with resident husband.

• How do we know how much the care home is costing the LA - what is mum & dads total allowance for a care home per week? Should the LA tell me this?

The LA do not tell you this, see if your LA has a figure in table in https://www.laingbuisson.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/07/CareMarkets_UsualCosts_20172018.pdf

• How do I know how much top up they will have to pay? The LA have advised we may have to pay this?

• I thought there was discretion for families not to pay top up fees for respite care by the LA (read this on the v.com web pages)?

All top ups are optional, Not paying could mean placement in an undesirable home eg difficult to get to.

• Mum is likely to be in longer term care than 6 weeks respite care as my dad is so ill. She may not be able to return home. How does this work with the financial allowance for a care home by the LA - how do we know how much we have to spend to choose a care home? Do we even get a choice?

Up to 6 weeks of intermediate care (reablement) is free, you are unlikely to get a choice with this care.

• Would mum be able to stay in the respite care home longer term?

Only by agreement with the LA. Some LAs have designated short stay homes.

 

[BSH]

Thank you so much for your reply. Am I understanding correctly, the LA will advise us the name of the home mum will be put in after her 6 week respite care?

Will the LA say she can be in x home funded by us. You have the option of Y home if you pay ££ top up per week?

I'm, so sorry, I don't understand how the care home decision is made when funded by a LA or how the LA funding works. We don't know if we can look at any care homes in preparation after respite 6 weeks ends, whether she will be able to stay where she is at the moment and if any of them are funded (in part or whole) by the LA.

 

[nitram]

Thank you so much for your reply. Am I understanding correctly, the LA will advise us the name of the home mum will be put in after her 6 week respite care?

Yes, assuming that she is assessed as requiring residential care which seems inevitable as your Dad is very ill in hospital

Will the LA say she can be in x home funded by us. You have the option of Y home if you pay ££ top up per week?

Anybody can decided to completely self fund or pay a voluntary top up for any home. The top up will depend on the home chosen, beware that annual % increases in the top up payment can be much more than the ones for the basic LA part. Best to try and organise that the LA have the full contract with the home and you contract to pay the LA the top up.

I'm, so sorry, I don't understand how the care home decision is made when funded by a LA or how the LA funding works. We don't know if we can look at any care homes in preparation after respite 6 weeks ends, whether she will be able to stay where she is at the moment and if any of them are funded (in part or whole) by the LA.

You can look at any home and be prepared to pay any top up required, else the LA will choose one or if very lucky more than one
Stay where she is depends on whether or not it is classed as short stay only.

Any funding by the LA is dependant on the result of a financial assessment which should be done after a needs assessment.
On the limited financial info you have given it is probable that the LA will fund, the criterion being your Mum having less than £23250 capital for partial funding and less than £10000 for full funding at their rate.
The value of the house will not be included if your Dad is living in it, if your Dad also has to go into residential care the house will have to be sold to pay for their care.

 

[BSH]

You are amazing, thank you very much for helping me understand this more clearly.

 

[nitram]

@BSH
Forgot to mention that any top up cannot be paid by the person, it has to be paid by a third party.

For completeness.
There are 2 exceptions to this, when person is funded under s117 of the Mental Health Act or during a 12 week property disregard period.