Financial Assesment

[scared daughter]

Has anyone got experience of this , mum is in an EMI Carehome, ont he nursing floor - she has been granted nursing care funding but is deemed self funding for the social aspect.

Mum didn't have POA - was an emergency admission to hospital i now finally have COP and they want to do a financial assessment.

DO I have to have one, am not paying anything YET as COP has just come through,

Do I have to let them scour her "assets" or can i just pay the fees until I need to ask for reassessment, shes not likely to fall below the level as she has her own home, savings.

Just to be clear am not trying to get out of paying - although I have appealed their decision as mums really poorly and has had a couple of strokes since the initial assessment - but can i just take over the paying of the fees and not have to endure this assessment

 

[Rheme]

Hi

My mum went into a Nursing Home at Christmas (also admitted direct from hospital) with full CHC funding. She has to pay the top up fees only and this is being done without filling in a financial assessment form.

You do not have to complete anything until her capital/assets fall down to the level of assisted funding e.g. £23,250.00. Would probably give your social services the heads up if her funds start to get down towards this level as it does help them with budgeting.

Good luck.

 

[scared daughter]

Oh gosh sorry to hear about your mum xx Thanks for the heads up I shall ask for that option, they only issued me with the letter and haven't got back to me. But I will ask to just pay and hopefully avoid further invasion of privacy xx

 

[Saffie]

Hi

My mum went into a Nursing Home at Christmas (also admitted direct from hospital) with full CHC funding. She has to pay the top up fees only and this is being done without filling in a financial assessment form.

You do not have to complete anything until her capital/assets fall down to the level of assisted funding e.g. £23,250.00. Would probably give your social services the heads up if her funds start to get down towards this level as it does help them with budgeting.

Good luck.

Just to ask if you are sure you have CHC funding as you cannot top-up CHC funding whereas you can the LA contribution. Maybe you are referring to the NHS nursing contribution. This is £108 per week.

 

[jenniferpa]

If you aren't asking for an LA financial help, there's absolutely no reason for you to go through the financial assessment process. When you're getting close to the upper savings limit you should do so, but up to that point it's none of their business. In fact in many LA's if you're self-funding they don't really want to know you at at all.

 

[Rheme]

Just to ask if you are sure you have CHC funding as you cannot top-up CHC funding whereas you can the LA contribution. Maybe you are referring to the NHS nursing contribution. This is £108 per week.

No Saffie, mum has the full funding however where we are they only allocate a set amount per week (£500.00). Having gone around all the local nursing homes before choosing one for mum we were shocked at the variation in rates. Some were £200 - £300.00 a week over the £500.00 a week and the NHS will/would not pay for it. We are really happy with where mum is now and she is not paying too much in top up fees either so are not too bothered about it.

What's more we haven't actually had a bill yet for the additional cost so maybe they won't bother.

 

[jenniferpa]

They shouldn't even be asking you for a top-up over NHS CHC, so maybe they've realized the error of their ways. And when I say "shouldn't", it's actually not permitted.

 

[Saffie]

What's more we haven't actually had a bill yet for the additional cost so maybe they won't bother.

As Jennifer has said, they are not allowed to. So I don't think you will receive a bill.

 

[carastro]

If your mum has the funds then you can just pay her fees until her money drops to a certain level, which I think is currently £23,500 then the social services will get involved financially and at that point they will need to know about her finances.

They will probably give you a form to fill in but there is a place where you can decline to divulge finances, which also says in that case your mum will be responsible for paying.

So no, you don't have to divulge finances until you need them to start helping to pay.

If she is self funding she should keep any attendance allowance she is due and if she has a Nursing care element the NHS should pay for that.

Once the SS get involved with helping to fund her fees then the attendance allowance will stop.

HTH

Carastro

 

[Rheme]

Thank you Saffie and Jenniferpa for the heads up on this one.

If we do receive a bill then having received your advice it will certainly be challenged.

All this is such a learning curve.

 

[Saffie]

Just don't pay it and refer them back to the CCG who are providing the CHC funding. It really isn't your problem.

 

[scared daughter]

Thanks guys, it's been deffered until now as no one had POA or COP, I will wait and see what comes back, the whole process leaves you feeling well exhausted and laid bare so to speak. Mum can manage if she has to, and I feel enough is enough let me just get on with it for now xxx

Huge help having your insight, been rather interesting reading baout these top up fees too! I did think they couldn't ask for htem, but as we havent got to that stage yet didn't know for certain xx

 

[Saffie]

I did think they couldn't ask for htem, but as we havent got to that stage yet didn't know for certain xx

Just a small point - the LA can ask for them but you don't have to pay them unless you opt for a better view, bathroom or something more than is essential to meet the person's needs or even a more expensive home than that which fulfills all needs.

However, as in Rheme's case, CHC is fully-funded so nothing more should be paid apart from the extras like hairdressing etc.

 

[scared daughter]

Gosh it's so complicated isn't it x