Care funding
You may find that you are entitled to some level of funding to finance your care at home.
Home care funding entitlements
You may qualify for some level of funding from your local authority or the NHS.
Attendance Allowance
Anyone over 65 can claim Attendance Allowance (AA). These payments of either £57.30 or £85.50 per week (2018/19) are non-means tested, tax free and usually added to pension payments. They can only be accessed for help with personal care. You can apply for Attendance Allowance online.
NHS Continuing Healthcare and funded nursing care
This is a non-means tested package of care funded by the NHS available to those with an assessed health need. This care funding can be used in your own home. To qualify an assessor looks at your day-to-day needs.
The Good Care Group works with care to be different, an organisation that supports eligible families to secure NHS continuing healthcare funding. We would be happy to put you in touch with them and help you through the process.
Pension credit
Pension credit is an income-related benefit made up of 2 parts – Guarantee credit and savings credit.
Guaranteed credit
Guarantee credit is a benefit that tops your income up to a minimum level of £163 p/week if you’re single, (£223.82 p/ week if you’re in a couple).
To check your full entitlement it’s best to call the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234. You’ll need to have ready your national insurance number, your bank account details and information about your income, savings and investments.
Savings credit
Savings credit is a reward for those with a modest income who have saved for retirement, and who reached state pension age on or before 6 April 2016. If you stop being eligible for savings credit for any reason from 6 April 2016, you won’t be able to get it again. To qualify you have to have a minimum income of £140.67 a week if you’re single, and £223.82 a week if you’re in a couple.
The way it’s calculated works like this: for every £1 by which your income exceeds the savings credit threshold (£140.67 for a single person and £223.82 for a couple), you’d get 60p of savings credit. The maximum you can get per week is £13.40 for a single person and £14.99 for couples. If you pay mortgage interest or have other housing costs, or if you’ve caring responsibilities, or are severely disabled, you may be entitled to even more pension credit. To check your full entitlement it’s best to call the Pension Credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.
Council tax
If your savings are less than £16,000 you can potentially reduce council tax payments (subject to an assessment). With a formal diagnosis of dementia, payments will also significantly reduce.
If a council tax single occupancy reduction is being claimed, you will not lose this entitlement if you have a live-in carer.
Local authority support
This is only accessible if your capital assets do not exceed £23,250.
Live-in care funding guidance
The live-in care hub, a not-for-profit organisation, has produced a useful funding care guide. You can preview the guide or download the PDF file by clicking here.
Talk to us about your care needs
To talk about your care needs, contact one of our friendly advisors. Calls from landlines are free.