It can be a daunting prospect when a loved member has to move to a Care Home. You may find you have numerous questions that you are unsure of the answers too. How will the care be paid for? What if they do not have enough money to pay for their care? I have heard mention of a cap on care costs, what is this? What if the loved one does not have the ability to manage their finances, what happens when they go into the care home? There is no power of attorney in place, how can someone manage their finances if they cannot do so themselves?
The much talked about cap on care fees is not yet in force, and there is still much confusion as to what will be classed as paying for care.
A person is required to pay for their care if they have capital assets over £23,250 unless they qualify for funding through the NHS Continuing Health Care contributions.
Funds can very quickly be used up to pay for care and then the uncertainty of how to pay and whether the family home has to be sold to pay for the care. The local authority may offer the option of a Deferred Payment Arrangement whereby the Local Authority will pay for your loved one’s care, in return for a charge being registered against their property so that when the property is sold the Local Authority is repaid from the sale proceeds.