Benefits

If you think you may be eligible for CHC, you can contact your local NHS Continuing Healthcare Team directly for an assessment. You can find the contact details for each of the local teams below.

Useful contacts

Useful contacts

Hampshire

Hampshire NHS Continuing Healthcare, 5th Floor, Civic Offices, Fareham PO16 7AZ Email: hiowicb-hsi.continuingcare1@nhs.net

Southampton

Southampton Continuing Healthcare Team, NHS Headquarters, Oakley Road SO16 4GX Tel: 023 8072 5650 Email:

hiowicb-hsi.ContinuingHealthcare@nhs.net

If you are not eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, you may still be eligible for NHS-funded Nursing Care if:

• You have been assessed as needing care from a registered nurse.

• You live in a nursing home.

The NHS pays a flat rate directly to the nursing home towards the cost of your nursing care. It won’t pay for the other care home costs, such as the accommodation.

Can I avoid paying for care?

It is against the law to intentionally give away or decrease your savings or property (your assets) in order to avoid paying your care fees. Local authorities will only fund care after a thorough financial assessment, and they can refuse to fund care if they believe that ‘deprivation of assets’ has taken place.

Read more about deprivation of assets from Age UK by visiting www.ageuk.org.uk and searching ‘deprivation of assets’ or call 0800 678 1602 for information or to request a factsheet.

Will I have to sell my home?

The idea of selling your own home to pay for the cost of a care home is something which concerns most

Independent Age

Provides a factsheet about selling your property to pay for care home fees and outlines alternative options such as the deferred payment agreement. Tel: 0800 319 6789 (for advice or to request a factsheet). Web: www.independentage.org (search ‘care home fees and your property’).

Paying for Care

Explores the option of renting out your property to fund your care fees. Web:

www.payingforcare.org/rent-your-home-out

Getting independent financial advice

Paying for care can be an expensive and openended commitment. If you are paying the full cost of care yourself, you should seek independent financial advice. Look for a financial adviser with specialist qualifications on advising on the funding of long-term care. They will be able to explain all the costs and risks involved and should be able to help with other things such as setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney.

If you are currently receiving care, it is still advisable to seek specialist information and advice as there may be options available to you to protect your interests and those of your family.

Useful contacts

Money Helper

Gives advice about all aspects of paying for care. Tel: 0800 138 7777 Web: www.moneyhelper.org.uk

Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA)

A not-for-profit consumer organisation that aims to assist consumers and their families in finding accredited independent financial advisers who understand financial needs in later life. Tel: 0333 202 0454 Web: www.societyoflaterlifeadvisers.co.uk

Planning for your future

Good planning will help make sure you or your family are ready to meet any of the costs that might arise. It will also allow you to provide for your loved ones and ease the burden on them. Comprehensive advice is available from Money Helper about planning for illness, old age and death including information about how to fund your long-term care. See above for contact details.

This Guide’s information about Powers of Attorney may be useful. See page 90.

It may also be a good idea to think about advance health care planning. Anyone can plan for their future care, whether they are approaching the end of life or not. Advance care planning can let people know your wishes and feelings while you’re still able

Further information and advice

Information on paying for permanent residential care and paying for care and support at home is available from Age UK. Call 0800 678 1602 or visit www.ageuk.org.uk (search ‘paying for care’ or ‘paying for a care home’).

If you are state pension age, physically or mentally disabled, and need someone to help look after you, you may be entitled to Attendance Allowance. You do not have to have someone caring for you to claim. If you are under state pension age and have a disability or long-term health condition which means you have difficulties with daily living or getting around, you may be entitled to

Long Term Care Fees and Wealth Management Advice

David Butler, Succession Wealth

Provides specialist advice to help clients plan for Care Fees and to achieve their retirement lifestyle ambitions. Combining relationship value with wealth planning expertise and the right technology helps clients understand their current and future financial position and to get the best out of their money.

Offering help and advice in:

• Entitlements and allowances • Preservation of capital where possible • Paying care fees • Mitigating Inheritance Tax Liability

Whether you are in care, about to go into care, or acting on behalf of someone else, we can advise the most appropriate course of action for your individual circumstances.

Succession Wealth is a trading style of Succession Wealth Management Ltd (Registered Number: 07882611), authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England at Drake Building, 15 Davy Road, Plymouth Science Park, Derriford, Plymouth, PL6 8BY.

Please contact:

David Butler Chartered Financial Planner and Care Fees Specialist Tel: 07830 533288 Email: david.butler@successionwealth.co.uk

You may also be able to claim a discount on your Council Tax or apply for a grant or other benefits.

There are online benefits calculators to help you work out which benefits you can claim. For more information and signposting, visit

www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

There’s a limit on the total amount of benefit that most people aged 16 to 64 can get. This is called the benefit cap. For more information, visit

www.gov.uk/benefit-cap

Useful contacts

Carers UK

Provides information about Council Tax discounts for carers and for those with severe mental impairment and disability-related Council Tax reduction. Tel: 0808 808 7777 Web: www.carersuk.org

GOV.UK

Provides information about benefits entitlement, Council Tax, death and benefits, disability equipment and transport benefits, benefits for people with disabilities, help if you’re a student with a learning disability, extra money to pay for university, heating and housing benefits, low-income benefits, tax credits, pensions and pension credits. Web: www.gov.uk

Help with claiming benefits and form filling

If you need extra help or support, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Visiting Team can visit you at home (or somewhere else, such as in hospital) to help you with your benefit claim. You cannot book a visit yourself. Tell the DWP if you need help to claim benefits by calling the number of the benefit you’re applying for. If you’re eligible, the DWP will arrange a support visit (see benefits information on page 110). Alternatively, visit

www.gov.uk/support-visit-benefit-claim Aldershot and Farnborough

Tel: 0808 278 7912

Basingstoke

Tel: 0808 278 7829

Citizens Advice

Tel: 0800 144 8848 (national advice line). Tel: 18001 0800 144 8884 (text relay).

East Hampshire (Alton, Petersfield and Whitehill & Bordon)

Tel: 0808 278 7901

Eastleigh

Tel: 0808 278 7862

Fareham

Tel: 0808 278 7964

Gosport

Tel: 0800 144 8848

Hart

Tel: 0800 144 8848

Havant

Tel: 0808 278 7809

New Forest (Hythe, Lymington and Totton)

Tel: 0808 278 7860

Portsmouth

Tel: 023 9400 6600

Rushmoor

Tel: 0808 278 7912

Southampton

Tel: 0808 278 7863

Tadley

Tel: 0808 278 7987

Test Valley

Tel: 0808 278 7862

Winchester

Tel: 0808 278 7861