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Sunbury
Nursing Homes |
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We hope that you find this information useful. However, if you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Q. Will I have to pay the full costs of my care?
Q. Is my home counted as an asset?
Q. What funds will the NHS provide?
Q. What will I have to pay if the local authority are funding my care?
Q. Are there any benefits that I can claim?
Q. Attendance allowance explained.
Q. Where can I get more advice?
Q. Will I have to pay the full costs of my care?
Yes, if your capital is over £23,250. If your capital is below this figure,
then your local authority will pay towards the cost of your nursing home
care. The NHS will also make a contribution to the fees.
Q. Is my home counted as an asset?
Unfortunately, your home is included in your assets if you live alone or
you and your spouse are both moving into a care home.
Q. What funds will the NHS provide?
Even if you have to pay your own costs, the NHS should make a contribution
to your nursing homes fees if they assess that you need care from a registered
nurse. This contribution is called the NHS Funded Nursing Care Contribution (FNC) and is payable whether you are paying the full costs or the local authority are contributing towards the fees. The current weekly rate for
eligible residents is £108.70. We also have a separate
information sheet on FNC.
Q. What will I have to pay if the local authority
are funding my care?
You will be expected to make a contribution towards the fees as assessed
by the local authority. This amount will normally be your total weekly income
(including your pension) less £20.45, which they will allow you to
keep for personal expenditure.
Q. Are there any benefits that I can claim?
As not everyone's situation is the same, there is no straightforward answer
to this question. However, it is quite likely that you will be eligible
for Attendance Allowance, which does not depend on your capital, savings
or income.
Q. Attendance allowance explained.
Attendance Allowance is paid if you need help to look after yourself or
if you become ill or disabled on or after your 65th birthday. The allowance
is paid at different rates depending on whether you need care during the
day, during the night or both and on how much your disability affects you.
To claim you must have needed help for at least six months although there
are special rules that apply for people with a terminal illness to help
them get the allowance quickly and easily for care. Attendance Allowance
is not payable if you are in hospital and if your nursing home care is being
funded through a local authority it is only payable for the first four weeks
after admission to the home. However, if you are funding your own care in
a nursing home, the allowance is payable for that time while you are self
funding and it is not affected by savings or income. The current rates are:
| Higher rate | £71.40 per week |
| Lower rate | £47.80 per week |
If you think you are eligible, then please make a claim immediately as delaying may cause you to lose benefit to which you would be entitled. You can request a claim form from your social security office, which can be found in the phone book under Benefits Agency, Jobcentre Plus or social security or alternatively a form can be downloaded from the Department for Works and Pensions website which is also available on the Links page of this website.
Q. Where can I get more advice?
The funding of nursing home care is, as I am sure you are aware by now,
a very complex subject depending on the individual's circumstances. We would
strongly advise that you seek advice about your own individual circumstances
and try to accumulate as much information as possible. There are various
organisations offering specialist advice, such as:
| Counsel and Care | 0845 300 7585 |
| Age Concern | 0808 808 6060 |
| Help the Aged | 0808 800 6565 |
| Social Services | |
| Benefits Agency | |
| Independent Financial Advisors | |
| Insurers who specialise in care fees planning |