Is home care the best option for you or your relative?

We are aware that choosing the right care and support for yourself or a relative can be difficult a decision to make as you need to think about the pros and cons of having home care or moving your loved one in a residential home. One of the main factors will be your finances and whether you can afford either.

In this blog, we have compiled information together to help you understand how you can fund for home care and to answer the most frequently asked questions. If you need assistance with choosing the right care for you or your loved one.

Click here to read how to choose the perfect care for your loved one!

Is there support from the local authority or local council to help to pay for home care?

One of the first things your local authority would need to do is carry out a care needs assessment which will confirm if you do have eligible needs for care and support at home (even if you do a care assessment with a home care provider such as Visiting Angels, we will be able to help you with your needs and direct you to the correct person about advice for funding).

Once you’ve agreed for a care and support plan, your local authority would need to perform a financial assessment which is also known as a means test. In this financial assessment, your local council will ask about your finances and income to work out how much you or your loved one can contribute to care at home.

Click here to find your local council!

What does a home care assessment involve?

A care assessment from your local council or from a home care provider like Visiting Angels is the first step towards the help and support you or your relative may need. The aim of a care assessment is to get to know you, your family members, your situation, your care needs and your financial situation so that we can tailor a person-centred care plan to help you live independently at home.

NHS continuing care

If you have long term or complex health needs, you can apply for NHS continuing care. After an assessment your local authority will determine whether you qualify for financial support. If your application is accepted and you will benefit from financial support, you can still choose your care provider, the local authority will pay for all or part of your care and you can do a top up, which is the difference between the fee the local authority will pay and the cost of care.

What does a financial assessment involve?

A financial assessment is when your local council will look at your income, savings and property to calculate how much you can contribute to your home care.

If you require home assistance or support at home, this means you will not be leaving your home which means the value of your property will not be included in the financial assessment. However, if you or your loved one need to move permanently into a residential home, the financial assessment will include the value of your property.

How much will I have to pay for my home care?

After the financial assessment, your local authority should give you a written statement stating the amount they will pay and the amount you have to pay for your home care. How much you’ll pay will depend on the kind of care and support you need which will be determined after a care assessment and your own financial situation.

Attendance allowance

Attendance allowance can help you with your home care costs if you have a disability and you need support at home. You might also consider applying if you are above the state pension age or older and if you are mental or physically disabled. Based on your needs, you can receive either £59.70 or £89.15 a week which can help towards the cost of home care.

For the eligibility criteria, please click here.

Can I pay for my own home care?

You can pay for your own care, this is known as self-funding. If you have savings more than £23,250 and you own your own property, you can pay for your own care without involving the local council.

If I fund for my own home care, how much will it cost me?

A typical hourly rate for a carer to care for you in your own home ranges from £20 an hour to £30 an hour. At Visiting Angels our pricing is simple. We charge a flat rate without extra charges such as travel time (although we pay our carers when they go from client to client) or an increased amount during evenings and weekends. Regardless of the time or day (with the exception of bank holidays) the rate stays the same.

Our home care service is affordable and flexible so that we can support you based on your needs. We pay our caregivers more than the industry standard as we believe that if we look after our caregivers, they will put twice as much effort into caring for you.

If you are unsure how to fund for home care, please get in touch, we can refer you to the right person or organisation, you are not alone.

Have a conversation about care with us!