Care costs over £23k savings

tsewell1227

I understand that if over £23k in savings the over and above amount will be used for care costs. Ok understand that. 

How are savings defined exactly. My mum has more saved however this is saved to enable her to have sufficient funds for living costs for the remaining years of her life . She doesn’t have a property as now lives with my sister. 

If only £23k is allowed to be retained then that is potentially not enough to live off for x years. 

I am guessing it’s as simple as if you have more than £23k in any form it’s up for care costs?

Keep_pedalling

Hopefully your mother will never need residential care but if she does then all of her savings will be used in a financial assessment. I can’t really see what your point is once someone reached that stage they have don’t have any other living costs.

p00hsticks

Keep_pedalling said:

Hopefully your mother will never need residential care but if she does then all of her savings will be used in a financial assessment. I can’t really see what your point is once someone reached that stage they have don’t have any other living costs.

The financial assessment isn't just relevant when the person needs residential care though. Prior to that they may need home visits, and there will be an assessment for the cost of that, while the OP stil lhas the other living costs such as council tax, heating ,food etc...

tsewell1227

p00hsticks said:

Keep_pedalling said:

Hopefully your mother will never need residential care but if she does then all of her savings will be used in a financial assessment. I can’t really see what your point is once someone reached that stage they have don’t have any other living costs.

The financial assessment isn't just relevant when the person needs residential care though. Prior to that they may need home visits, and there will be an assessment for the cost of that, while the OP stil lhas the other living costs such as council tax, heating ,food etc...

Was so much me making a point it’s a question of how the financial assessment works. Is it as simple as £23k is yours for your remaining living costs for the rest of your days and the rest to fund care (I’m talking care package coming to house not residential home) my mum isn’t old old just fragile so may have a good few years left but £23k won’t last year after year. 

She has no assets as sold house and moved in with sister so she has a pot of money to live off (pay sister house keeping, holidays, food, clothing etc)

she recently fell and fracture hip. Early days of recovery so may or hopefully may not need long term support. 

the answer may simply be yes…..but wondering how assessment made as I am unclear. 

Thanks 

eskbanker

What pension income does she have, and is she claiming pension credit?

tsewell1227

She gets a full teachers pension. No pension credit. 

Just to reiterate I am not complaining I am just wanting to understand how it works. 

HobgoblinBT

Some local authorities eg Bristol have online calculators to enable you anonymously to calculate your care cost contribution based on income and savings.  

Shakin_Steve

tsewell1227 said:

She gets a full teachers pension. No pension credit. 

Just to reiterate I am not complaining I am just wanting to understand how it works. 

Surely her teacher's pension would cover her ongoing living costs? Plus £23K behind her for emergencies.

Zanderman

tsewell1227 said:

She gets a full teachers pension. No pension credit. 

Just to reiterate I am not complaining I am just wanting to understand how it works. 

Plus state pension I presume? Not quite sure what you're suggesting she needs the savings for? A full (if it is full) teachers pension plus a full (if it is full) state pension isn't a bad income. But maybe neither are full and that's why you're implying she needs savings to live on?

But, basically, yes, if she has more than 23k in savings that will be used in any care scheme. 

Brie

Let's say she has £50k in the bank.  And gets income of £10k a year.  So when the savings get below £23k the local authority will pick up some costs.  But as she's got monthly income this may go £23k, £22k (LA pay) £24k (LA don't pay).   So it may vary from one month to the next.  It's a bit of a pig to keep reporting it as if she goes above £23k and doesn't tell them they will claw back an amount at some point.  

fyi - for many LAs if the account with savings is a joint account they only count 1/2 of it as relevant.  So if both her and sister have their names on her account there may be less to be considered.  Or they may decide that as she funded the account it's all her money no matter whose names are on it.

p00hsticks

tsewell1227 said:

p00hsticks said:

Keep_pedalling said:

Hopefully your mother will never need residential care but if she does then all of her savings will be used in a financial assessment. I can’t really see what your point is once someone reached that stage they have don’t have any other living costs.

The financial assessment isn't just relevant when the person needs residential care though. Prior to that they may need home visits, and there will be an assessment for the cost of that, while the OP stil lhas the other living costs such as council tax, heating ,food etc...

She has no assets as sold house and moved in with sister so she has a pot of money to live off (pay sister house keeping, holidays, food, clothing etc)

she recently fell and fracture hip. Early days of recovery so may or hopefully may not need long term support. 

the answer may simply be yes…..but wondering how assessment made as I am unclear. 

Thanks 

From my experience with my mother, earlier this year, the local authority will give you a financial assessment form to fill in, in which you detail  income (pensions etc), savings etc, essential living costs such as council tax,  etc. They'll then make a decision on whether they will contribute to your care costs - if not, then you make and pay for what you want yourself (or you can often pay the council an administration fee to organise it for you). 

As adult social care is the responsibility of local authorities, you are probably best off checking your local council website, wher you will probably find a whole section with online calculators, guidance on completing the assessment forms, directories of care providers etc.

For example here is one for Wiltshire 
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