With the government’s Green Paper on Adult Social Care finally seeing the light of day we see a mixed bag of politically neutral proposals that face a longer journey into the light than the Green Paper itself.

As Karen and Tim outline below, the consultation period runs until November, we then await the White Paper, the publication of which may well follow a general election and change of Government.

This may sound an extremely bleak proposition but then, with the Government encouraging what it calls ‘The Big Debate’ on the the reform of Adult Care and Support in England, the electorate have the opportunity to turn this to their advantage.

By engaging in the debate, individual voices may shape the future. The results of the debate will provide fuel for any party’s manifesto into the next election, the *demographics tell us that by 2014 over 65 year olds will overtake under 16 in the UK and the over 65’s are the most likely to vote.  This fact will not escape the attention of any political party.

This presents each and every concerned care recipient, their family, care providers, charities and agencies to  make their feelings known and to drive home the need to make change to the care system a top political priority.

As a Care Fee Specialists, the prevailing comment we hear from  the families and loved ones of those receiving, or about to receive care, is the lack of a single agency to guide them through the practical process, let alone the funding.

The frustrations felt by having to deal with several different agencies, none of which seem to have the ability talk to each other, often leaves relatives drained having repeated the same story 2 or 3 times.  It is hard not to blame the individuals within these agencies but they are simply working within a system over which they have no direct influence.

You may be going through this process now for someone, you may be concerned for yourself or a relative, whatever your circumstances, your opinion matters.  Make your thoughts on the proposals put forward in the Green Paper count, The Wealth Care Partnership encourages everyone to engage in the debate.

I shall be lobbying my own local MP, Jeremy Brown, with my thoughts and am tremendously interested in hearing from you with your comments, indeed I’ll be happy to pass those on for the debate if you wish, you may contact me direct on rene@twcp.co.uk.

Remember you have until 13 November to make your voice heard and to ensure you influence the future of care in the UK, PLEASE don’t miss the opportunity.

*Government Actuary Dept 2003 projections

Many elderly people who need long term care are reluctant to leave the familiar surroundings of their home, full of memories and possessions. Some are forced to spend many lonely hours, without any companionship or assistance. Many are subjected to poor care services, neglect and/or abuse. These are vulnerable people, who should be given the level of care they need, so they can retain their dignity and be happy in the twilight of their lives.

Our experience in advising the elderly and their families is that it is common for them to feel they have no choice of who provides care and where it can be received. It is somehow accepted that low standards of care at home is the norm and you simply have to put up with it and continue to pay high fees. The average hourly rate for care at home in England is £14 per hour and this can put a strain on the capital, particularly in difficult economic times.

The fact is, those who are self funding their care (anyone with assets over £23,000 – England 2009/10) have the choice of who provides their care. Anyone who is being funded by their local authority can also choose their care provider, but family members may have to pay towards the additional costs. No-one should accept low standards of care and everyone has the right to replace poor carers with those they trust to care for them properly.

As highlighted in the Panorama programme “Britain’s Home Care Scandal” there are some companies who fall short of expected standards for carers at home and the regulator must raise the bar to ensure services improve dramatically. However, there are already excellent home care providers that we are aware of. These supply fully trained carers, many of whom live with the elderly person concerned providing them with companionship, housekeeping, social and nursing care.

We provide financial advice to those who need to fund long term care. It is even more important now that investments are not performing and interest rates are so poor that those with a little bit of capital who fund their own care obtain advice from a specialist care fees adviser. By protecting the assets from erosion, the elderly person can have total peace of mind, flexibility of who provides the care, and can retain their dignity. They may even be able to leave an inheritance for their families once they have passed away.

We have lots of useful tips and information on our website www.twcp.co.uk and you can request a free guide. The new 2009/2010 guide provides essential information on:-

Planning ahead

Local authority support

Asset disregards & deferred payment option

State benefits

NHS continuing healthcare & NHS-funded nursing care

Local authority funded cases and third party top up

Equity Release

Care at home

Selling or renting the property

Lasting and Enduring Powers of Attorney

Can you afford the care?

Deputyship and the Court of Protection

Immediate Care Plans – A solution to the problem

True stories

This is a very specialised area of advice, so don’t leave it to chance. For trusted advice when you need it most talk to us today.

When people get older and their health deteriorates, it is common that they feel they have no choice about where they receive their care.  Many are resigned to the fact that they may have to move into a care home, even though they may hate the idea and prefer to stay in their own home.

Couples who have been together for many, many years may feel they have no alternative but to live apart, when one of them requires long term care,.  This can often put pressure on the person who is not requiring care to firstly keep their partner at home for as long as possible, providing the care themselves and secondly, when it all becomes too much, to find a suitable care home and constantly travel to visit their loved one.

Placing a loved one into care can be extremely traumatic for all concerned.  Family members can feel terribly guilty and emotional, particularly if a care home is not where the elderly person wants to be.  Leaving beloved pets and personal possessions behind can also be a huge issue for the elderly moving into a care home.

Care at home could be an option for so many people, but this is often not considered.  There are many good quality providers of care in your own home and the cost is not necessarily more than a care home.  The solution could be to have a live-in carer providing companionship , housekeeping and personal care or, simple someone to come around every day to help with certain activities the elderly person is unable to do themselves.

Employing such individuals can sometimes cause a headache and can put people off receiving care at home. Many agencies do not deal with Pay as you Earn (PAYE) and National Insurance on your behalf but that is not true of all of them.

For those who are self funders (assets of more than £22,250 England) and do not have much by way of liquid capital to help pay for the care may need to consider releasing equity from their homes to fund this care.

Immediate Care Plans are a perfect way of paying for such care as it guarantees the payment each month, for as long as the person requiring care lives and payments can be set up to escalate each year to help deal with increasing care fees costs.

Call me on my freephone number to discuss your circumstances and I will be able to put you in touch with the right organisation and discuss payment options - 0800 6528232

Those who have assets over £22,250 (England - 2008/2009) will not get funding by the Social Services for their long term care.  The rules are brutal for those elderly who have saved all their lives and only have modest savings and the family home.  Most do not have enough income to pay for care and with care fees ranging from around £400 per week to over £1,000 per week, they need to use their savings and/or sell their home.  Here are some tips to help those people who are “self funders”:-

1.  Make sure you claim for Attendance Allowance for the person requiring care from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).  You can claim online at www.dwp.gov.uk or print off an application form.  This is not means tested and is tax free.  It could bring in either £44.85 per week or £67 per week - 2008/2009).

2.  Ensure the person needing care is receiving benefits they are entitled, such as Pension Credit.

3.  If a spouse remains in the home, claim for single person occupancy for Council Tax at your local council offices.

4.  The home is excluded for the Local Authority Means Test for the first 12 weeks of needing care.  This is not always made clear.  If the person in care has assets below £22,250 the Local Authority must fund the care for the first 12 weeks.  In certain circumstances the home is excluded from the means test beyond the first 12 weeks.

5.  If your savings are held within single premium life insurance bonds, where there are lives assured on the contract, these savings must be excluded from the Means Test.

6.  You may qualify for Fully Funded NHS Care.  This is not means tested however, you would only qualify if you need long term care following hospital treatment or because of a chronic illness or disability.

7.  If a property needs to be sold, seek specialist help with the sale.  There are companies who specialise in selling homes for the elderly in care.

8.  Seek professional advice from a financial adviser who is qualified for long term care.

9.  Consider purchasing an Immediate Care Plan.  This will pay a benefit to the care provider, tax free, for the rest of your life.  It’s a great way to cap the cost of care and provide peace of mind that you won’t run out of money.  See our other blogs for more information on Immediate Care Plans.

10.  If you haven’t already set one up, get advice on creating a Lasting Power of Attorney which will enable your loved ones to make financial decisions on your behalf if you become mentally incapable of making your own decisions.  You can also set one up to deal with your personal welfare too.

If you would like more information on what to do financially, if someone you love needs to go into care request a free copy of our Guide to Care Fees Financial Planning via our website www.twcp.co.uk.

I am getting more and more angry with the poor level of advice being offered to people by certain professional advisers regarding the gifting of assets when someone needs care. There are far too many professionals out there who are dabbling in an area they know very little about and the result is that people are being mislead.

The rules are harsh when it comes to those people who have worked hard all their lives and have a property and some modest savings. If you have assets over £22,250 (2008/09) you will be considered a “self-funder” by social services. Gifting away those assets when your health has already deteriorated and you may need care, will not mean the State will provide. If you speak to a solicitor about gifting your house to your children or into trust, even if it is for Inheritance Tax purposes, please make sure they specialise in advising the elderly. Seek out those who are members of Solicitors for the Elderly in your area. They should be able to tell you about the rules of Deliberate Deprivation and advise you whether the gift would be worthwhile.