Can someone please explain how funding works?

maryjoan

Registered User
Mar 25, 2017
1,634
0
South of the Border
We are looking at my partner moving back to where he comes from ( 200 miles away) to be nearer to his family. I have been assessed as having come to the end of my tether as his carer..

He is unable to fund himself, but has income of about £280 per week excluding AA. He has no savings and we rent our home.

The care home his son looked at yesterday costs £950 per week. of which his son was told the council would expect to pay £595. The son thought that the £280 would be added to that taking it to £875. Since my partner has medical conditions including a stoma that he cannot manage, his son thought that the shortfall might be funded by NHS continuing health care.

Social Services have said that my partners pension would go to offset the £595 that they would be paying and that my partner is not entitled to continuing health care as the stoma can be dealt with within the community.

Can anyone who has jumped through these hoops please advise me which is correct or does it vary throughout the country?

many thanks
 

Pete1

Registered User
Jul 16, 2019
899
0
Hi @maryjoan, have you had a financial assessment undertaken by Social Services? If they are making the placement (or funding it) they would need to do that first (generally your partner's income would be 'regarded' as a contribution to care). If your partner qualified for Continuing Healthcare the placement would be fully funded by the NHS Trust (contribution not required), again of course that has to go through assessment (Social Worker should be able to advise and assist with this process) - although I am aware it is quite difficult to qualify with a high level of medical care required. I hope this helps a bit. It's like trying to find your way through a maze! Contact Social Services for the assessment of needs and financial assessment. All the best.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
24,920
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South coast
If there is under £14,000 savings the Local Authority will be paying their maximum. This is done by taking pensions (state and occupational) and AA and then they add their contribution to take it up to their maximum combined level - in this case £595 pounds a week. If the care home will not accept this they will want a "top-up" fee, which cannot come from the resident, it must come from someone else, usually family. "Top-up" fees are voluntary, so the LA is legally bound to find a care home that will meet his needs and will accept the LA rate.

Unfortunately your OH is undoubtably moving into a different LA, so my understanding is that it will be his present LA that will pay the fees. This LA only has to provide somewhere in their area that will accept their fees. Different LAs will have different rates, depending on how expensive things are locally and how big a budget they have, so if your OH is moving to a more expensive area the LA doesnt have to find anywhere there that will accept their rates. If its to a cheaper area, of course, then there will be more choice. If Im wrong on this, Im sure someone will correct me, but I think this is how it works.

As to CHC, if you qualify for this then yes, your fees are completely covered by the NHS, but it is incredibly hard to get - the bar for qualifying is set really high and in all honesty I cant see just having a stoma (even with the dementia too) will qualify him. A good "rule of thumb" is: does this person need a qualified nurse (not just carers) on the premises and available 24/7? And even then you might only get the Funded Nursing Care portion.
 

Shedrech

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
12,649
0
UK
hi @maryjoan
I doubt his son is correct

CHC funding requires a high level of need

these pages may help
www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/legal-financial/who-pays-care

you say your partner has no savings or assets and the figure you give is his only income
so the LA will be contributing to his care fees ... effectively they will be funding
but
they will take his monthly income, leaving him personal expenses of around £25
he will no longer receive the Attendance Allowance
the LA have to offer one placement they will wholly fund
if family want another placement they may choose to pay a third party top-up fee to make up the difference between what the LA will fund and what the care home charges ... that top-up will increase over time
 

maryjoan

Registered User
Mar 25, 2017
1,634
0
South of the Border
Thanks one and all for your explanation - I really feel I am beginning to understand this minefield......
One other question , if I may....
On the council website where one can look at council properties to bid for there are the following criteria
SHELTERED LIVING
SUPPORTED LIVING
EXTRA CARE

I think the ones we should be looking at are EXTRA CARE - has any one other ideas or definitions?

thanks a lot
 

Louise7

Volunteer Host
Mar 25, 2016
4,634
0
Have social services assessed your partner's care needs yet? If so, they'll be able to let you know which level of care they think he needs and also the level of funding they will provide.
 

Shedrech

Registered User
Dec 15, 2012
12,649
0
UK
what you describe there is housing ie a separate flat with care staff linked to the development so not residential care ie a room within a care home staffed 24hours a day
you may want to look at dementia (EMI) residential care homes
www.carehome.co.uk/

cross posted ... so probably disregard
though I am surprised he's been assessed as being able to live on his own
 

jugglingmum

Registered User
Jan 5, 2014
7,076
0
Chester
My mum is in sheltered extra care - which I understand is sometimes referred to as assisted living.

There is an on site restaurant, and carers sort our her breakfast and microwave an evening meal for her.

My mum is on the 3rd care band so 10 hours a week I think, the 5th band is 20 hours a week. Mum is self funding but needed a SW assessment to be able to go into her flat.

In my experience it has been perfect for my mum, it meant she didn't go into a care home 6 years ago, and she was very pleased to retain her independence.

There are normally at least daily activities, and my mum joined in these to start with.

My understanding is that in areas where there is a lot of provision of this sort of accommodation, LAs favour giving it a go before a care home. The support is much more than being in your own home with care visits. It is much cheaper for the LA than a care home but in my mum's case it gave her a better quality of life. In my mum's case I do her shopping and appointments, but I can buy enough for 2 to 3 weeks at a time, with ready meals and bread going in the freezer.

It was made clear to me when mum moved in if she was a wanderer or became aggressive that she would be asked to leave, the carers aren't set up for this level of care.

From what I have read of your posts this might work for your OH,I think if my mum went into a care home now she would need EMI/dementia care home (not nursing).

My understanding is the care staff would be very quick to say if they couldn't cope, and this would then force the LA into finding a suitable care home.

I don't know how funding works if you aren't self funding.

Of the other terms you used, I think sheltered is where there is an on site warden during the day, but no care, and supported living is for adults with learning disabilities (I have a friend whose son falls into this bracket).
 

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