Paying for your own care Easy Read fact sheet

Transcription

1 Paying for your own care Easy Read fact sheet This fact sheet is for people who have decided to move into a care home. And who pay for the cost of their care and support using their own money. A Care Home is a home where people have their own room, and are looked after by care staff. If you pay for your own care you should get information and advice before moving to a care home. 1

2 1. Getting information and advice about paying for care You can speak to an independent financial adviser. An independent financial adviser gives people information and advice to help them make a decision. They will give you specialist financial advice about paying for your own care. And they will tell you about the choices you have if you are paying for your own care. You should make sure that the independent financial adviser: Is experienced in giving people advice about paying for care. Is qualified to give people advice about paying for care. You will need to pay for any independent financial advice you get. The independent financial adviser should tell you how much you will have to pay. They should do this before you get any advice from them. 2

3 2. Help to find an independent financial adviser The Society of Later Life Advisers can help you find an independent financial adviser. They can help you find someone who specialises in helping older people. You can contact the Society of Later Life Advisers at: Telephone: Write to: Society of Later Life Advisers PO Box 590 Sittingbourne Kent ME10 9EW 3

4 3. Paying the full cost of your care You have to pay for your care using your own money if you have more than 23,250. This may be as: cash savings in the bank or building society any stocks or shares you have any Premium Bonds or National Savings you have the value of your home and any land that you own. Sometimes the value of your home or other property that you own is not included. The independent financial adviser can tell you more about this. How much you will pay How much you will have to pay to live in a care home will be based on: the facilities the home provides the amount of care you need if you need nursing care too. Facilities could mean things like a TV room, a garden, or library. Or specialist support provided for people with particular needs. 4

5 3. Paying the full cost of your care How much you will pay You should ask the care home how much you will have to pay if you choose to live there. You may be able to claim some benefits to help you pay for your care. The independent financial adviser can tell you more about this. They can also tell you about your options for paying for your own care. Getting help to pay for your care If the money you have goes below 23,250 you may get help to pay for your care. You should contact the Council to arrange an assessment to see if we can help pay for your care. An assessment is when someone looks at the things you can do and the help and support you need. 5

6 4. Contacting the Council You can contact the Council by: Telephone: Write to: Customer Services Cambridgeshire County Council PO Box 144 St Ives PE27 9AU 6

7 5. Choosing a care home The Care Quality Commission inspects care homes. You should look at their report about a home before deciding where to live. The Care Quality Commission are government inspectors. Inspect means they have checked that the care home is working properly. If you need help to make a decision Sometimes people need someone to help them make a decision about their care. Or to make a decision on their behalf. Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document. It gives you more control about what happens to you if you cannot make a decision yourself. You can ask the independent financial adviser about Lasting Power of Attorney. You may also want to get some legal advice about paying for your own care. 7 Paying for Your Own Care Easy Read Fact Sheet, Version 1.0, October 2016 (AD)