Hypothetical question about deprivation of assets Re Care Home Costs.

[Deleted User]

Although this is hypothetical I know of an elderly person to whom this may be of interest and I am 'just wondering.'  If someone has over the allowed amount of savings to be eligible for free care (DHSS/Social Work funding) in a home I wonder if this* would be allowed:

If there is a home nearby where the fees are high, good staffing  levels and care standards but cannnot accept folks who are solely funded by DHSS/Social Services (because adequate funding would not be available to subsidize the fees)  I wonder if this* would be considered deprivation of assets?

*If the person has total of about £75,000 in savings, not a home owner, a modest income, no debts and no family members to rely on, would they be allowed to take a place in an expensive home and stay there for as long as possible until their savings run down?   Then, apply for funding but accept that they would have to move to a care home where DHSS/Social Funding is accepted?

I'm inclined to think that the elderly person I have in mind would enjoy a good quality of care, close to home for others to visit more easily, for at least several months using their savings up in the process. The alternative may be accepting a place in a home much further away from their friends who could visit.  This, if allowed, it might be more beneficial than paying, in a less well staffed home supported by DHSS/Social Services and paying more than then DHSS rate at the same time.  They would receive exactly the same care there but would be paying more than most of the others there who are not self funding.  I understand that people who are self funding pay more in the same home, for the same care as those who are eligible for DHSS/Social Services funding. Is that likely to be the case?

The discussion arose when a person (not me)  was trying to telephone to ask about visiting someone in a home where most (not all) of the 'Residents'  were being funded solely by DHSS/Social Services.  There was no one to answer the telephone (7 p.m. on a week day night) and after three attempts the telephone was answered by a 'Resident' who said the nurses were busy but did not know where they were to bring them to the telephone.  The Resident commented that they could never find a nurse to answer the 'phone in the evenings because they were so busy.  The staff were obviously really busy and not lazy.

I hope my query makes sense and does not sound selfish - I'm just wondering.

Brie

A person can fund their own care for as long as their money will last and it not be considered DoA.  So it shouldn't matter if the home costs £1k a week (a level the LA likely to fund) or £4k a week (LA unlikely to fund).  The problem will be that if someone has £75k and goes for the posher place their excess money (above £23k) might last them 3 months.  Are they then going to be happy to move to a place that costs £1k??  Better to pick a place in between and have the money last longer and the likelihood of knowing/caring about being moved to a less place will be less (perhaps).