0333 305 1785 ∙ enquiries@forestcare.co.uk
Caring Teams ∙ Complementary Therapies ∙ All-inclusive Fees
Funding Options Funding a place in a care home can be complex and daunting and is solely dependent upon personal financial circumstances. We aim to make it a little easier for you and the following is a brief overview of the available options to help with planning and decision-making:
Residents whose total assets (cash/property/shares, etc.) exceed the Government’s “Capital Threshold” are expected to pay their own care home fees. For some residents this may mean needing to sell their property, where, subject to certain conditions being met, Forest Care will usually agree to accrue and defer fee payments until the property is sold.
A needs assessment from your Local Authority will determine eligibility for any funding, benefits and allowances. Even if you don’t qualify for financial assistance right now, this assessment may help if your circumstances change. Your Local Authority will also carry out a means-tested financial assessment, taking into consideration the total value of your assets, such as your home and income. Your Local Authority should contribute to your care costs if the value of your total assets falls below the Government’s “Capital Threshold” but residents and/or their families will typically need to ‘top-up’ any contribution from the Local Authority to meet our full fees.
Where you are self-funding by virtue of owning a property, your Local Authority will usually disregard the value of that property for the first 12 weeks of your stay in a care home. That enables time for the property to be sold and means they will pay your fees at their “Guide Rate” for those first 12 weeks. Where the “Guide Rate” does not meet the home’s full fees, you may be asked to “top-up” once the property is sold.
Local Authorities may offer a ‘Deferred Payment Agreement’ depending on circumstances, which avoids a resident’s home having to be sold during their lifetime. This funding is treated as an interest-free loan and secured against the value of the property.
The NHS will usually contribute towards your fees if you require nursing care from a registered nurse (this only applies to permanent care, not respite). FNC is provided irrespective of whether your fees are self-funded or Local Authority funded. It is dependent upon a needs assessment and will be arranged by the home with the NHS (subject to your consent) following admission. Payment is usually backdated to the admission date or the application date as applicable.
Anyone who needs full-time NHS healthcare due to a disability, an accident, Parkinson’s, diabetes, Multiple sclerosis or another illness may be eligible to receive CHC funding from the NHS. It is dependent upon a full needs assessment by an NHS Assessor and can be awarded prior to admission or following admission as needs dictate. CHC covers care and basic living costs and is intended to replicate what a resident would otherwise receive in an NHS setting such as a hospital. It may or may not fully meet the care home’s weekly fees and those awarded CHC funding are not also eligible for FNC funding.
