Advice

Paying for care and support at home

If the local council has carried out a Care Needs Assessment with an individual and agree that they have eligible needs for care and support at home, they will undertake a means test (or Financial Assessment). The means test will determine how much the person with care needs can afford to contribute towards their care costs.  

Only the income of the cared-for person can be considered within the Financial Assessment. Where this person receives income as one of a couple, the starting presumption is that the cared-for person has an equal share of the income. The means test won’t take into account the value of their property for care and support provided at home.  

The means test for social care will look at their income and savings, and how this will affect what they pay towards their care. 

If the person requiring care has;  

• Less than £14,250: they will be entitled to support from the council. They won’t make a contribution from capital, but they will be expected to contribute from income. Most types of income are taken into account within the assessment. 
• More than £14,250, but less than £23,250: They will be entitled to support from the council but will be expected to make a contribution towards the cost of care: £1 for every £250 of savings between limits (‘tariff income’) in addition to a contribution from income. 
• More than £23,250: they will be responsible for paying their own care home fees.

Self funding care and financial assessment

People, with eligible need, who are assessed as self-funding are still entitled to information and advice from the local council and may also request that the council meet needs by arranging care. The council must agree to these requests to meet needs/arrange care but can charge an administration fee. If self-funders with eligible need do not make this request, they are expected to meet their own needs if they can or if they have support to do so.

Certain types of income may not be counted in the means test including income such as the Mobility component of Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment; earnings; Pension Credit Savings Credit Disregard. A full list of disregarded income is contained within Annex C of the Care and Statutory Support Guidance available here.

Local councils must ensure that a person’s income is not reduced below a specified level after charges have been deducted; this is known as Minimum Income Guarantee. This varies according to age and circumstances, for example; where a person is single and has attained pension credit age, the MIG is £189.00 per week. A full list of City of York Councils fees, charges and financial limits and rates, including the MIG amounts, is available at here.

Where the local council takes a disability benefit into account e.g. Disability Living Allowance & Personal Independence Payments care components or Attendance Allowance; they must also assess disability-related expenditure (DRE) in the financial assessment. This is to enable people to meet the cost of disability related needs that are not being met by the local council.

Acceptable disability related costs include: extra washing or specialist washing powders, community alarms, special diet, special clothing or footwear, additional costs for bedding, extra heating costs, reasonable costs of basic garden maintenance, cleaning or domestic help (if not part of the care plan), internet access (blind or partially sighted people), any care that social services do not meet, buying and maintaining disability-related equipment and some transport costs. Other costs may also be considered, if reasonable and incurred due to disability.

After the means test has been completed the local council must provide a written record of the charging decision made by them. It should explain how the Financial Assessment has been carried out, what the charge is and how often it will be made. The local authority must ensure this is provided in a manner that can be easily understood.

How to appeal your financial assessment results

If you don’t agree with the results of your Financial Assessment or how it was done, you have the right to complain. First complain to your local council. If you’re not happy with the way the council handles your complaint, you can take it to the local government and social care ombudsman.

Independent Financial Advice  

It can be helpful to get independent financial advice about how to pay for care. There are various places you can search for an adviser, including the Society of Later Life Advisers and Unbiased.

Advisers’ fees vary considerably, so ask up front how much it will cost.

Further information and advice

For further information contact York Carers Centre on enquiries@yorkcarerscentre.co.uk or call 01904 715 490 or contact City of York Council on adult.socialsupport@york.gov.uk or call 01904 555 111.