There are a number of options available for funding care at home, and it all depends on a number of factors which includes income and savings. Many Bridgewater Home Care clients pay for their own home care directly, this is known as ‘self-funding’ in the industry, whereas for some there can be financial support available.
Self-funding
The majority of the people we serve at Bridgewater Home Care pay for their services directly, as a ‘self-funder’.
Prior to providing services to a prospective client, an initial care consultation is conducted with a senior member of the team, in most cases this will be the Registered Care Manager. This process helps both parties to identify areas where a loved one may need extra help and to get a deep understanding of the needs and preferences of the client and how we can build a better quality of life for the individual and family members.
Our aim is to enable individuals to stay as independent as possible in their own home for as long as possible along with supporting and assisting care-giving family members, lightening the load and giving respite from day to day caring .
As a self-funding client, our friendly team can advise you on how many visits per week, and for how long, a loved one may need to fulfil needs and expectations. This is done at the care consultation stage.
We recommend a minimum of one hour per visit to ensure we fully cover every aspect of a loved ones needs, affording the time for a bond to build, and a relationship to develop between a loved one and our Care Specialists.
Personal Budgets
A personal budget is an amount of money that a local authority allocates to a person to meet their care needs if, upon assessment, it is deemed that the person qualifies for either full funding of care needs or partial funding.
A personal budget allows individuals to take control of their care and offers a wider range of options and choices that would not necessarily be available when organised directly through the local authority. This forms part of the Governments ‘Personalisation Agenda’ and should be recommended to individuals by Social Workers at the assessment process.
At Bridgewater Home Care we specialise in the provision of high quality, private care at home, which means that we may not be available directly through the local authority. A personal budget gives an individual the opportunity to access our high-quality services which may not be offered as a choice or option by the local authority.
Direct Payments
A direct payment is a funding choice when a person is awarded a personal budget. Once a local authority has decided on your personal budget, you can choose to receive some or all of this money in the form of direct payments.
The money can either be transferred directly to a person receiving care, or managed by a third party, giving a person more control of how their care needs are met and increasing the choices they have on which company they wish to provide services to them.
NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding
NHS funding (Continuing Healthcare funding) can be requested through social services via a home assessment by a Social Worker. If a person does not qualify for NHS funding, then they may still qualify for social services funding.
If, after a hospital visit, NHS medical personnel and discharge teams may believe that a person needs care and support when they leave hospital, a care needs assessment will be carried out to determine what help and support may be needed to enable safe discharge and continued care at home.
If an individual is eligible for NHS funding, the NHS discharge team and other health professionals will make sure support services and any home adaptations or equipment is implemented and ready before a person is sent home.
If a person needs home adaptations or equipment that cannot be sourced quickly, it may be necessary to spend a short time in an intermediate care facility. Any home adaptations and equipment are free, as long as they are less than £1,000 each. The NHS may also provide free equipment following a visit to the hospital.
NHS continuing healthcare funding is not means tested and covers the full cost of care at home. The services available include healthcare and personal care. The services provided have to involve managing a health need, as opposed to just a social need.
Local Authority Funding
If you have recognised that your loved one is experiencing difficulty with everyday tasks and may benefit for some extra support around the home, you may want to apply for a care needs assessment either through your GP or district nurse, which is free, regardless of income and savings.
If a local authority carries out a needs assessments and agrees that an individual has eligible needs for care at home then they will carry out a ‘means test’, which takes into consideration income and savings, to determine how much funding is available and how much a person would need to pay.
It is important to note that unless a persona is going into residential care, the means test should not take into account the value of an individual’s property.
At Bridgewater Home Care we specialise in the provision of high quality, private care at home, which means that we may not be available directly through the local authority. To access the services of Bridgewater Home Care you may need to take out a ‘direct payment’ through the local authority.
Attendance Allowance
Attendance allowance is a non-means tested benefit which is available to help people with the extra costs of care and support. It is not necessary for an individual to have a person caring for them to claim for this benefit.
This benefit is paid at 2 different rates, one being higher and one lower. Attendance allowance is used by people to help with personal support if physically or mentally disabled, or at state pension age or older.
Although attendance allowance does not cover mobility needs it can be used to cover or contribute towards care and support at home.
At Bridgewater Home Care we are here to help and can offer guidance and advice on how attendance allowance can be used to fund our high quality services.
Personal Independent Payment (PIP)
A Personal Independence Payment is available to those who need help with some of the extra costs associated with having a long term physical or mental health condition or disability.
The amount that can be claimed for is dependant on how a person is affected by the condition, or conditions they may be living with. A health professional will carry out an assessment to work out the level of help an individual can receive.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is being replaced by personal independence payments for most adults. It is also important to note that carer’s allowance is also available to those who may be providing a level of care to an individual.