Government plans for costs of care - a dummy's guide

No - I was hoping this was going to be an explanation!

This is from Age UK www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/social-care-funding---the-lowdown/

It is not really going to help very many people because the gov has set the cap much higher than was recommended.

I foresee a lot of complex regulations looming, especially over the "hotel" vs "care" costs.

It will help quite a lot of people because they will be able to have more savings than the current £23k but I'm not sure many people will go over the £75k for care fees as I don't think many people are in care for very long.

What does worry me is that at the moment those who pay for their own care are subsidising local authorities who do not pay the actual cost of the care. Local councils will determine the value of the care needed and then it will be up to us to find somewhere we can afford and we will not be reimbursed for the difference between how much the LA says we need and how much we will be forced to pay. I think we will have to pay a lot more that £75k before we qualify for any help.

Apparently you have to be in a home for over 5 years to benefit and the average time in one is just over 2!!!! So wlll done the Government, nice bit of double talk.

Perhaps us baby boomers will all 'die before we get old.'

Apparently you have to be in a home for over 5 years to benefit and the average time in one is just over 2!!!! So wlll done the Government, nice bit of double talk.

Perhaps us baby boomers will all 'die before we get old.'

I think one of the aspects that often scares people is the idea of having to pay for the care out of savings or having to sell the house. But you do have an income which, if you're lucky, might cover the costs and will definitely contribute towards it. If you need care, there is Attendance Allowance and if you need nursing care, the NHS makes a contribution. On top of any pensions you may have and not means-tested. My mother's nursing home fees cost more than her income but the pensions, allowances and NHS contribution cover a large part of it.

I don't have a problem with selling my property to fund my care home fees, but I don't have family to leave it to so it is different for me.

What I really worry about is actually having to go into a care home. I know there are many good care homes but we hear so much about the bad ones. Without family to look out for me I do worry about what kind of treatment I would receive. I plan to hang on in my own home for as long as possible and hopefully drop of the perch here!

Me too Barrow. If I can't go into a home while I am still able to party I don't want to go at all. It sounds as if we will all have to wait to be assessed by the council and who knows how long that will take so we'll probably pop our clogs while we are waiting!

If we have to fund our own care home fees, would it not be possible to pay someone to help us in our own homes ? Surely some of the charges for a home are as expensive as a weekly wage for a carer.

Lilygran - thanks for link. What still doesn't seem clear is how resouces between 123k - 14k will affect the situation. Barrow - I so agree with you on not wanting to go into a home.

harrigran it seems that the LA will decide what care you need and whether you can have it in your own home or whether you need to go into care. They will then decide how much it would cost if you had no money and they had to pay and that is the amount which will be deemed to have come out of your £75k regardless of the actual cost to you.

I believe there is a successful scheme 'Homeshare' which has been running for many years. I'm sure some of our GNs will know more about it.

Well, I did a quick calculation using what we pay for my aunt's care, what the local Social Services will pay and how much of that is care and after 5 years in care, £200,000 paid out in Care Home fees, she would still not have reached the £75,000 cap.

Goodness FlicketyB - is that because of the socalled 'hotel charges'? The more I read and think about this, the more it seems to be smoke and mirrors. I know on other threads there have been interesting discussions about the principle of who pays but on this thread I am just genuinely wanting to understand the new plans

We are paying around £800 a week for her place in a very good care home with excellent staff. But the care component will only be calculated on the rate that Social Services in her area will pay for residential care, which is around £450 a week. I have assumed, generously, that the care component would be assessed at about half that, that is £225 a week. She has been in care for 5 years (5 x 52 x £225 = £58,500).

As you say, Bluebell. smoke and mirrors.