Get proper advice on care fees

A story in the Daily Express last week highlighted the importance of getting professional and independent financial advice on care fees.

The article told the story of 60 year old Jacqueline Atkin who was told by her local authority that her parents needed to pay for their own care, because they owned their home and had some savings.

Consequently, they spent £66,000 on care fees funded by the sale of the family home – money that Ms Atkin considers to be her inheritance and she is now fighting to recover.

NHS continuing healthcare is the name given to a package of care that is arranged and funded solely by the NHS for individuals who are not in hospital who have complex ongoing healthcare needs.

In other words, where you have a ‘primary health need’, NHS continuing healthcare is available free of charge, delivered either in your home or a care home.

Social and community care services provided by local authorities however are often chargeable, with a means test applied to assets to determine who should pay.

If you are not eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, you can still be assessed as needing care from a registered nurse and this can be NHS funded in a care home registered to provide nursing care.

Under this arrangement, the NHS make a payment directly to the care home to fund care from registered nurses who are usually employed by the care home.

As many as 60,000 people across the UK are thought to have paid for their care despite being eligible for NHS continuing healthcare.

If you or your parents require residential care, please do speak to us to get professional independent financial advice on your choices and options.

The Informed Choice Care Fees Guide 2013-14

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