DLA mobility component

hamletcigars

parent will soon be entering a local authority nursing home ,her benefits, pension DLA care component etc will be taken into account when deciding what she will pay ,BUT , some information sources say her DLA' mobility' is disregarded when calculating ,others say it's not ....................I am now baffled as both sources are part of the local authority,but which is right ,please advice if you can



many thanks

Pollycat

When my Dad (on DLA Mobility higher rate & DLA Care middle rate) went into a Care Home, the mobility component was disregarded.

This is taken from a Counsel & Care guide called "Care Home Fees - paying them in England":

3 The council financial assessment

[FONT=StoneSans,Stone Sans][FONT=StoneSans,Stone Sans]In most cases, if you are entitled to financial assistance from the local council towards the cost of the care home fees, you have to use all of your income, including Pension Guarantee Credit if you receive it, as a contribution towards the fees. However, some types of income are not included in the council calculation. These include:

• The mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
• The War Pension Scheme mobility supplement
• War Widows special allowance (also referred to as War Widows special payments)
• Some charitable payments
• Pension Savings Disregard.

If you receive financial assistance towards the fees from your local council, your Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance care component will stop after you have been in the care home for 28 days. [/FONT]

[FONT=StoneSans,Stone Sans]At present the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance is not included in the financial assessment for care, but it was announced in the comprehensive spending review that the mobility component would be removed from people living in residential care from 2012. However, following representation from a number of charities involved with disability rights, the government has now decided to delay this decision until further review. [/FONT]
[/FONT]

Has your Mum been assessed as having needs that should be met in a nursing care home?
Or is it a care home she's going into?

The NHS funds the former, the local council funds the latter so the rules may be different if it is nursing care she needs.

hamletcigars

hi,thank you for your post,she is going into a council nursing home as she has ongoing medical issues

Pollycat

Another extract from the guide I mentioned earlier:

2.1 What happens if you have nursing care needs?
[FONT=StoneSans,Stone Sans][FONT=StoneSans,Stone Sans]If you have been assessed as having needs that should be met in a nursing care home, you will be eligible for the nursing element of your care in the care home to be paid for by the NHS. This is known as NHS-funded Nursing Care. A registered nurse, employed by the NHS, will conduct an assessment, identifying and documenting your nursing needs. If a social worker or care manager is involved in your care arrangements, they should arrange for an assessment for nursing care to be carried out before you move into a care home. If you are assessed as eligible by the registered nurse, you will receive a standard rate of £108.70 per week from the NHS to pay for your nursing care. [/FONT]

[FONT=StoneSans,Stone Sans]The nursing care contribution is paid directly to the care home. If you receive funding from the local council, the nursing care contribution will be deducted from the amount the council contributes and will not reduce your assessed financial contribution or any third party top up. If you are paying for your own care, the nursing care contribution is deducted from the full cost of the care home fee. [/FONT]
[FONT=StoneSans,Stone Sans]Reviews of your nursing care needs should take place within three months of first entering a care home and then on an annual basis. [/FONT]

[FONT=StoneSans,Stone Sans]If you have needs that are regarded as a ‘primary health need’, you may be entitled to full NHS funding to pay for your care home or home care fees. This is called NHS continuing healthcare and there is one national criteria for eligibility for this type of funding which all Primary Care Trusts must follow. [/FONT]

[FONT=StoneSans,Stone Sans]For more information, see section 12 of this guide and our guide: [/FONT]
[FONT=StoneSans,Stone Sans]Continuing Healthcare: Should the NHS be paying for your care? (guide number 27). [/FONT]
[/FONT]

I'm not sure from what you say if your Mum has 'nursing care needs' or 'primary health needs'.

You might find it useful to read the whole guide, it's Guide 16 here (if your Mum is in England):
http://www.counselandcare.org.uk/finding-and-paying-for-a-care-home

Has your Mum had a financial assessment by the council?

In my Dad's case, they visited Mum and went through all his income and savings (he was in a care home with dementia) and then did a printout showing what they would be taking towards his care home fees.

This included his state pension, occupational pensions, DLA care component but excluded his DLA mobility.

Which parts of the council have you had conflicting information from?
Have you spoken to them about the conflicting information?

hamletcigars

thank you for info I shall have a good read of it all ,full finance assessment not been done yet just a prediction,but in the booklet the social worker gave me,mobility is not counted but in the phone call to their finance department ,it is counted ,I think I need to go back to them and double check things ,thanks for your help

to clarify her needs,she has vascular dementia and is now an amputee with ongoing medical care needed for the amputation and other needs

Pollycat

Counsel & Care are really good, you can ring them up and request copies of their guides.

Don't forget - there are different ones if your mum isn't in England.

Might also be a good idea for you to look at the Health Care booklets:
http://www.counselandcare.org.uk/health-care

I understand that CHC (Continuing Health Care) can be a nightmare to get actually get approved.

Hope you get your Mum's finances sorted and her settled in at the Home.