Even with the possibility of public funding, many elderly homeowners sell their homes each year in order to pay for care. Very few people seek professional advice regarding care home fees, despite this probably being one of the largest financial commitments they will ever make.

Older people who own their own homes often fail the means test for subsidised care, leaving them to cover care home costs themselves. A means test determines whether an individual or family is eligible for help from the Government. Anchor, a leading UK care home manager, explains how property ownership influences local authorities’ means test for the provision of care home subsidies.

A newly revised social care eligibility guide was introduced in February 2010 to replace the existing guidance. The new guide is called Prioritising need in the context of Putting People First: A whole system approach to eligibility for social care, Guidance on Eligibility Criteria for Adult Social Care, and incorporates the new approaches developed as part of the Government’s personalisation agenda.

According to the new guidance, adults who fund their own residential or non-residential social care will have access to an independent complaints review service provided by the Local Government Ombudsman. If the local authority assists with your care home placement and fees, they will carry out a means test to see whether you should be contributing to the care costs.

Before you can receive any financial subsidies towards the cost of care home accommodation, the local authority must assess your care needs and agree that these meet its criteria for assistance.

The means test generally only applies to individuals aged 60 and over. Further information about social care assessments can also be found online at the Anchor care homes: http://www.anchor.org.uk/retirement-homes-and-care-homes/care-homes/default, website.

Disclaimer:

Please note that the above article was written on behalf of Anchor by a third party content provider. While every measure has been taken to ensure its relevance, timeliness and accuracy, this cannot be guaranteed.