Paying For Care In Your Own Home

Surveys show that over 90 percent of us would prefer to grow old in our own home but only half of us believe this is likely to happen. In this article we look at the government entitlements and other financial assistance on offer that might make staying in your home a viable option.

Getting Assessed

Your first step should be to contact your local authority and request a Community Care Assessment. If the authority agrees that you need help, it will put together a care and support plan. If you have more than £23,250 in capital (including savings and investments but not the value of your home) you will not be entitled to financial help. If your capital is less than £23,500, your local authority will assess your income and decide how much you must contribute towards the cost of the services it will provide. If your income is less than the rate of Income Support, you will pay nothing.

If you are over the threshold for receiving financial help, you are still entitled to free advice from your local authority. Organisations like the UK Home Care Association will also give you advice and information about local care agencies. If you hire a private individual to care for you, remember you will be their employer, responsible for paying National Insurance contributions and other benefits.

Government Allowances

Attendance Allowance is a non-means tested, non-taxable, allowance for physically or mentally disabled people who need help with personal care. You will receive £81.30 per week if you need help round the clock or £54.45 for shorter periods. Forms can be downloaded from the gov.uk website. Check with social services about other benefits you may be entitled to.

Charitable Help

Many charities and benevolent societies have a network of volunteers who provide support for those in need. Armed Forces charities, SSAFA and RAFA, will help veterans and their dependents regardless of whether they have served as regulars or reservists.

Releasing Equity

There are several schemes that mean you don’t have to sell your home to release its equity. A lifetime mortgage is a loan against the value of your house, which is repaid when you die. A home revision plan entails selling your home, or a percentage of it, to a company that allows you remain there rent-free for the rest of your life. Age UK runs a Gifted Housing Scheme: you give your house to the charity and it pays your bills and arranges care and support for you at home.

Help With Mobility

In a Help The Aged survey, half of respondents had difficulty moving around the home. Local authorities have a range of schemes, including low-cost loans, to help you adapt your property to your specific needs. There are nonprofit organisations that perform a similar role for homeowners and tenants.

To further aid mobility at home, there are many high-quality, competitively priced, mobility aids on the market. To view a selection of mobility aids, check out our selection at Stechford Mobility.