Reclaim Care Home Costs for Free- New MSE guide

davidsuffolk

I had a letter today from the Obudsman saying they "would not be taking any action".
They said "the timeframe you have experienced is [FONT=&quot]unfortunately[/FONT] not uncommon across CCGs nationally"
So, there you have it; because they are all dreadfully slow nothing will be done and apparently 11 years is a reasonable timescale.
I will post a further update in 2023 (assuming it is actually resolved by then!)

Doc_N

Thanks for your updates, David - a pretty incredible outcome.

So on the basis of your experience the CCGs can do exactly as they please, delay for as long as they like, and short of something like Judicial Review (costly!) there's no effective way of forcing them to do something.

Possibly a newspaper, Which? or BBC Watchdog campaign might pressure them into doing something, but it's not really that emotive an issue for the vast majority of people, so that's unlikely to happen.

The longer they delay, the more people die, and the less they have to pay - the cynic in me suggests that central government might be complicit in this.

margf

This is an absolute disgrace, successful claims must be costing the NHS a fortune in interest, the interest I received was more that the claim!
With regard to the comment of people dying, my mother had passed away prior to the claim and the money was paid to her executors.
Don't give up.

Doc_N

margf wrote: »

This is an absolute disgrace, successful claims must be costing the NHS a fortune in interest, the interest I received was more that the claim!
With regard to the comment of people dying, my mother had passed away prior to the claim and the money was paid to her executors.
Don't give up.

I wasn't just thinking of the people directly affected - I was thinking as much about the relatives making the claims, who are also getting older and older and less likely to push the matter.

davidsuffolk

This thread seems to have gone quiet yet I imagine there are still many people waiting on the outcome of claims.

Here is my update. My claim has gone from the local CCG and has now passed to "NEL Commissioning Support Group" (whatever that is).

However, when I contacted them, they did say that their latest date to resolve all claims (I presume just within their own area) was September 2016 and that they hoped it would be earlier than that.

It will be then 4 years since first claiming but it does look as if it may be coming to a conclusion.

noelphobic

davidsuffolk wrote: »

This thread seems to have gone quiet yet I imagine there are still many people waiting on the outcome of claims.

Here is my update. My claim has gone from the local CCG and has now passed to "NEL Commissioning Support Group" (whatever that is).

However, when I contacted them, they did say that their latest date to resolve all claims (I presume just within their own area) was September 2016 and that they hoped it would be earlier than that.

It will be then 4 years since first claiming but it does look as if it may be coming to a conclusion.

I've also been told September 2016, at which point my claim will be nearly 6 years old!

ashpan

Please please, dont anyone give up on a retrospective claim for care home fees! - i just received notification that my claim has been successful but as yet no idea of what i will receive. I started the claim in early 2013 on principle as my father had paid high levels of tax and NI all his working life and never, ever claimed any benefits, it was scandalous that he had to pay between £750 and £900 a week for his care so i feel doubly vindicated both for us and for him as he passed away in 2012. I can now pay for my son to have driving lessons (which is what his grandpa would have wanted) and plan to donate some to the Alzheimers Society to fund research into this truly dreadful disease.

davidsuffolk

Update for the end of March 2016.

I received a form with something called a "Decision Support Tool" in respect of my aunt mid February which I returned.

I rang last week as the accompanying letter said on receipt of the completed form it would be put to a panel. This panel apparently meets weekly though my decision will be within 4-6 weeks so I should get a yes/no/maybe by the end of April.

In respect of my father [FONT=&quot]it followed a different route in the process to that for my aunt and I have not received the document I received for my aunt’s case. My father’s case is, they say, currently back again with the CCG, being ratified, and once ratified and returned they will send me the decision letter (which to my mind makes it likely in his case the claim may have been declined).

Anyway, I should have both cases closed by the end of April so will update the post then[/FONT]

davidsuffolk

Promised update. I received their decision pack for my aunt which denied liability for the majority of the period she was in a care home but accepted for the last three weeks of her life when she worsened.
Many hoops to jump through to even get paid out on this, which I estimate will be quite a small amount, with proof of probate, original bank statements (from 9 years ago!) showing the payment to the care home and proof that the care home received the money as well as other things like passport and utility bills. I suppose this is fair as some claims might have been for a lot of money.

Anyway, one of the two claims I made nearly done!

Angelmessenger

Just a rant really but I wonder if anyone else has had this issue.
My mother has been in a nursing home for 2 years following a dense stroke and needs nursing care.
The local council assessed her finances and she has paid towards her care since. However, I was told that when her money wnt below £14,250 she would need to be reassessed as her funds fell below the threashold at which she should pay. In December 2015 I sent the relevent documents to the council to show she had fallen below that level. Nothing...I phoned, they denied having them. I phoned again and discussed it with a member of staff who said they would look into it and get back to me....nothing. Then she was reassessed for her care levels by a different department, the lady listened to my fury and kindly took copies of the documents and put them on the council's system. I phoned again, this time I got a form to fill in and an appointment to see someone.

I saw that person yesterday, bottom line is they denied that mum is entitled to full funding now her funds are below 14,250 and they queried where mum's money has gone, so I explained, without exploding. Bottom Line.....my mum's money is not her own, it belongs to them. The woman's own words...."when it comes from the public purse all funds have to be accounted for." So mum can't have her bits and pieces in storage in case she wants to look over old memories, she can't have new clothes...because the money belongs to the council!!!