There are different ways to pay for care, either by funding your own, through government support, or a combination of both - where you top-up the government support to meet the total cost.

Government support

Depending on personal circumstances there can be funding available to cover some or all, of the care home costs. This will depend on individual circumstances as well as council funding and can lead to funding from the NHS or local authority.

The level of care needed is initially considered, the NHS fund a flat rate contribution for basic nursing support or in more complex circumstances where continuous specialist medical treatment is needed the state will contribute through a fund called ‘Continuing Health Funding.’

A personal financial assessment then considers all aspects of personal income and capital including benefits, but rest assured that your loved ones own home will only be taken into account if they live alone, if a spouse lives at the property then it isn’t included in the assessment. Property values are disregarded for the first 12 weeks of a permanent move into a care home. This is designed to give breathing space to enable family to decide whether selling a property is needed and to make any necessary preparations.

Our management team will help with support for applications for funding. Where specific advice is needed we recommend you contact SOLLA  (Society of Later Life Advisers) who will link you to financial advisers who have specialist knowledge in funding long-term care.