Paying for home care and care funding

How can I access home care?

Accessing home care services typically involves several steps, depending on your specific situation and location. Here’s a general guide on how to access care at home:

1. Assessment of care needs:

If you’re having difficulty with daily tasks at home due to illness, disability, or ageing, you can request a care needs assessment from your local council. This assessment will determine the level of support you require to remain independent at home. You can request this assessment yourself or with the help of a GP or district nurse. You can also apply online.

We have a detailed care assessment guide to help you understand the process.

2. Hospital discharge planning:

If you’re being discharged from hospital and require home care services to ensure your safety and support at home, the hospital staff can arrange these services for you. A social worker typically leads the planning process for your future care and support needs upon discharge. They will assess your needs, discuss available support options, and work with you to create a personalised care plan that meets your requirements.

If you need temporary care upon discharge from hospital, you may be eligible for support to help you recover from an illness or operation. The hospital staff should assess your needs and, if eligible, arrange care before you leave hospital. This care, called intermediate, reablement or aftercare, is free for a maximum of six weeks.

3. Financial considerations:

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for financial assistance or funding to cover the costs of home care services. Your local council or social services department can provide information on available financial support options and eligibility criteria. We also provide more detailed information further along in this guide.

4. Arranging home care services:

Once your care needs have been assessed and a care plan is in place, home care services from a provider like Prestige Nursing & Care can be arranged. These services may include assistance with activities of daily living (such as bathing, dressing, and meal preparation), medication management, companionship, and other forms of support tailored to your needs.

After home care services commence, there will be periodic reviews to ensure that your care needs are being met effectively. Adjustments to your care plan can be made as necessary based on changes in your health or circumstances.

Can I get funding to help pay for home care?

Social care funding is just one of the funding options available to help families cover the costs of home care. NHS Continuing Healthcare and other Government initiatives may help cover some or all the costs of receiving care at home.

NHS continuing healthcare – England

If you are living with complex care needs and require nurse-led care, it is worth exploring whether you are entitled to any healthcare funding first. NHS Continuing Healthcare funding could considerably contribute to the overall cost of care if you are assessed as having an identified healthcare need.

NHS Continuing Healthcare is a fully funded package of care provided by the NHS for adults 18 and over with significant primary health needs. It is not means-tested and care can be provided at home or in a care home.

A nurse or social worker will first complete a checklist to see if you may be eligible for an assessment. The assessment is undertaken by a team of health and social care professionals using a comprehensive document called a Decision Support Tool. If the criteria for NHS Continuing Healthcare are met, a recommendation is made to the Integrated Care Board (ICB), which confirms the recommendation except in exceptional circumstances.

Personal Health Budgets (PHB)

A personal health budget is for your healthcare and support needs.

If you are an adult receiving NHS Continuing Healthcare or NHS Funded Nursing Care, you may be offered the choice of receiving your funding through a Personal Health Budget (PHB). A PHB is one way to give people with long term health conditions and disabilities more choice and control over the money spent on meeting their health and well-being needs.

The funding is provided by your ICB. Sometimes, your care is jointly funded with your council.

Funding can be managed in three ways:

Direct payments

You or your representative receive money directly to buy and manage the care, support and services you need. You must show what you have spent it on and there are rules governing how it can be spent.

Third Party PHB

An independent organisation holds the money for you and pays for and arranges the care and support agreed in your care plan.

Notional PHB

The money available for your assessed needs is identified, and you decide how to spend the money together with your NHS team. The NHS team arranges the care and support agreed in your care plan. No money changes hands.

NHS funded nursing care

If you are not eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, you may be entitled to NHS Funded Nursing Care, where the assessment says that you need to live in a nursing home with support from a Registered Nurse. Payment is made directly to the nursing home.

Government initiatives

Attendance Allowance

Attendance Allowance is a benefit available to anyone over the state pension age or older who has a disability severe enough that it requires you to have someone to look after you.  There are two different rates that you could claim depending on the level of care and support you need:

Council tax discount

You can reduce your council tax payments, subject to an assessment if your savings are less than £16,000.  If you have a formal diagnosis of dementia, you may be entitled to a reduction in your council tax, or depending on the severity of the condition, you may be exempt from the total cost of your council tax.

Carers allowance

If you are caring for a loved one, friend, or family member for at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits, like Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence (PIP), you could be entitled to claim £67.25 a week to support you financially.

Explore other Government initiatives that can help cover the costs of home care.

Care funding resources

For independent information and advice on home care funding options:

• Age UK
• Independent Age
• Money Advice Service

For independent information and advice on NHS Continuing Healthcare:

Care to Be Different – Care To Be Different publishes NHS Continuing Healthcare tips and advice and practical information about care fees and care funding assessments. “Care To Be Different”, was set up by Angela Sherman following her own frustrating attempts to secure care funding for her parents.

We are here to help you and your family every step of the way. Call us on 0808 239 1525 and our friendly care experts will discuss your care and support needs.

You can also fill out or online enquiry form or email info@prestige-nursing.co.uk. We provide impartial guidance and advice so you make the right choice for you and your family.