Care Home Assesment - How much will council contribute to Care Home fees?

Darlyd

My Aunty inlaw is in a care home, she is 101 years young (bless her) And she still gets her full pension even thought MIL told benefits agency that she is in a home, she also used to have her own house with her sister, never been married, but sold that to move into a residential flat, and now in the care home. MIL never dips into her pension money just in case though. She does buy her a new hand bag weekly as well as her wool, as that is her thing she likes, and she also buys her shower gel and things like that. I am not 100% BUT I think her care is funded through her estate.

Your best bet is to speak to social services.

Pollycat

lessonlearned wrote: »

Disability Living Allowance is paid to people under retirement age. It has two components - personal care and mobility allowance.

If the user has to go into care it is the personal care component which has to be discontinued - for the same reason that AA stops. The mobilty component remains - the user is deemed to need this - ie hospital appointments/dentist etc and being able to get out and about occasionally - assuming they are well enough.

This was explained to me just last Tuesday by someone from Welfare Rights so it should be accurate.

Hope that helps.

Just to clarify:
If residential care is being fully funded by the person, the personal care component of DLA is still paid to that person - it is not stopped or discontinued.

As with State Pension and Occupational Pensions, the personal care component of DLA is taken towards the assessment of charges but not the mobility component of DLA which continues to be paid to the recipient.

puddy

lessonlearned wrote: »

Sorry puddy - I edited my post because I realised I hadn't explained it fully.

I agree - being left with just £22 ish does seem a bit harsh.

Even if it's only seen as "pocket money" it's a bit insulting. Doesn't buy much these days. No way to treat an adult.

I've no problem with AA being discontinued - it is after all a state benefit.

However, I do not think that someones state pension should be confiscated.

I think the idea that the state pension is regarded as a "benefit" is totally wrong. It is not a benefit in my view, the recipient has paid for their pension through their contributions therefore it should be their by rights until they die. They've paid for it, it's not a "gift". Just my little hobby horse:D

thats a good point, although i suppose they're not removing it because its a benefit (although i agree with you that its not), they're removing it because it pays for care. what would happen if the fees were £500 a week and the local authority agreed to pay £500 what happens to the persons pension then?

Mojisola

darlyd wrote: »

My Aunty inlaw is in a care home, she is 101 years young (bless her) And she still gets her full pension even thought MIL told benefits agency that she is in a home, she also used to have her own house with her sister, never been married, but sold that to move into a residential flat, and now in the care home. MIL never dips into her pension money just in case though. She does buy her a new hand bag weekly as well as her wool, as that is her thing she likes, and she also buys her shower gel and things like that. I am not 100% BUT I think her care is funded through her estate.

If you are paying for your own care, you carry on receiving your pension and AA or DLA.

It's only taken away if you have your care paid for you.

lessonlearned

Oh dear - isn't it complicated.

I think that they would take the pension - at least that was my original understanding.

However after reading the daryld's post about her aunty in law being allowed to keep her pension - maybe I got the wrong end of the stick.

I am in the process of dealing with this - both to find a permanent home for my husband and to help mum who now needs more help to stay at home. My head is in a whirl with it all.

PP - Thanks to the last poster - you put that very well - and clarified the position for me.

That was my understanding but I was beginning to wonder if I'd got it wrong.

puddy

ok, that makes sense, your pension is 'taken away' from you along with other benefits such as AA because you are always, no matter what the situation jointly funding your care

you either pay your own care full, or the state pays and you contribute with your pension and other benefits, or the state pays with a view to getting back the money by putting a charge on your property if you cant or wont sell it now

i suppose that makes sense that you are merely using your income (pension) to contribute to your own funding. do they take private pensions though as well?

also, have it got this wrong or right that if you qualify for medical care then ALL your care home fees are paid for by the NHS or is it just a part of it which is decided by the assessment?

Pollycat

lessonlearned wrote: »

Oh dear - isn't it complicated.

I think that they would take the pension - at least that was my original understanding.

However after reading the daryld's post about her aunty in law being allowed to keep her pension - maybe I got the wrong end of the stick.

I am in the process of dealing with this - both to find a permanent home for my husband and to help mum who now needs more help to stay at home. My head is in a whirl with it all.

Mojisola's post is correct.

It depends on what darlyd really means about her auntie being 'allowed to keep her pension'.

If you are in a care home and are self-funding (i.e. you have more than £23,250 in savings/capital) you still actually continue to get your state pension and certain benefits.

However, your local council will do a financial assessment and take certain income towards care home fees.
This includes state pension, DLA Care component (but not DLA mobility although the govt had planned to include this in the financial assessment for care but following representation from a number of charities, the govt has decided to delay this for the time being) and occupational pensions (although a spouse is able to claim 50% of occupational pensions).
I'm not sure about other allowances as the above is what my Dad gets.

So, they take assessable income towards care home fees and if the person has more than £23,250 in savings/capital the person pays the difference between what the council have assessed and the care home rate.

So, it could be said that my Dad still gets his state pension (as darlyd says her aunt does) but it's really taken towards his care home fees with the exception of the £22.60 per week allowed for personal expenses.

You're right - it is very complicated and quite a steep learning curve.

Take a look at my post #4 for a link to an excellent website that publishes guides and factsheets about care homes.

Someone on here kindly gave me the link about a month ago and it's proved very helpful in understanding what was likely to happen to my Dad's income and giving me a head start when dealing with local/county councils and DWP.

Pollycat

puddy wrote: »

also, have it got this wrong or right that if you qualify for medical care then ALL your care home fees are paid for by the NHS or is it just a part of it which is decided by the assessment?

I think you're talking about Continuing Health Care (CHC).

This is paid by the local Primary Care Trust rather than the council.

The Counsel and Care website (see post #4 for link) also has Guides on this:
Guide #27 Continuing Healthcare: should the NHS be paying for your care?
Guide #40 Continuing Healthcare – understanding the assessment process

puddy

Pollycat wrote: »

Mojisola's post is correct.

It depends on what darlyd really means about her auntie being 'allowed to keep her pension'.

If you are in a care home and are self-funding (i.e. you have more than £23,250 in savings/capital) you still actually continue to get your state pension and certain benefits.

However, your local council will do a financial assessment and take certain income towards care home fees.
This includes state pension, DLA Care component (but not DLA mobility although the govt had planned to include this in the financial assessment for care but following representation from a number of charities, the govt has decided to delay this for the time being) and occupational pensions (although a spouse is able to claim 50% of occupational pensions).
I'm not sure about other allowances as the above is what my Dad gets.

So, they take assessable income towards care home fees and if the person has more than £23,250 in savings/capital the person pays the difference between what the council have assessed and the care home rate.

So, it could be said that my Dad still gets his state pension (as darlyd says her aunt does) but it's really taken towards his care home fees with the exception of the £22.60 per week allowed for personal expenses.

You're right - it is very complicated and quite a steep learning curve.

Take a look at my post #4 for a link to an excellent website that publishes guides and factsheets about care homes.

Someone on here kindly gave me the link about a month ago and it's proved very helpful in understanding what was likely to happen to my Dad's income and giving me a head start when dealing with local/county councils and DWP.

i know im being really dim, by why does the LA do a financial assessment if you are self funding?

surely the result of looking at fees minus income will always result in the same amount, ie if income is £200 a week, care home fees ar £700 a week, leaving £500, that is what the person pays out of their 'pot', so they are still paying £700 a week??

im talking here about people with more than 23k, so what does the assesment ever achieve

Darlyd

Her estate must be funding her care in the home (house sold many years ago), and perhaps MIL don't think Aunty is entitled to her pension as she is in a home, hence why she never spends more than £20 a week from it, she is worried it will all have to be paid back. She did inform benefits agency, and they would know with the address change to a care home. But she just does not want to take any chances. I will have a word with her about it though today.