How will a carer know if they may be eligible for our help? Carers may be eligible for help if: • their need for support results from providing necessary care for an adult; and • they need support to achieve outcomes in one or more of these things: - carrying out any caring responsibilities the carer has for a child; - providing care to other people to whom the carer provides care; - maintaining a habitable home environment; - managing and maintaining nutrition; - developing and maintaining family or other personal relationships; - engaging in work, training, education or
volunteering; - making use of necessary facilities or services in the local community; or - engaging in recreational activities; and • failure to achieve these outcomes would result in a significant impact on the carer’s wellbeing (see the definition of wellbeing on page 46). If we can help, we will write a support plan for the carer, or, if they prefer, a joint care and support plan for both them and the person they care for, taking into account their needs as a carer. The care and support plan explains what has been agreed and what will happen. If a carer’s needs are eligible, we may provide them with a personal budget, or we may increase the personal budget of the person they care for to provide replacement care.
Paying for care NB: The financial information in the following sections changes from time to time. Therefore, please ensure that you check for the latest figures
by reading the information sheets provided here: www.somerset.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/ adult-social-care-information-sheets
Will we contribute towards your care costs? If you are eligible following your care needs assessment, we will talk with you about your money. We use national rules to work out if you are eligible for a contribution from us for any care and support you need. If you have more than £23,250 in assets, savings and capital (including land and second properties), you are not normally eligible for support with funding your care. You will usually be asked to make your own care arrangements and pay the full cost of your care. You can ask us to make the arrangements for you if your needs are eligible (see page 46), but we may charge an arrangement fee for this. If you have less than £23,250 in assets, savings and capital, we may be able to help you with the cost of your care and support. Depending on your
personal circumstances, you may be required to pay a contribution towards the cost of your care (see below). Working out your contribution The person who assesses your care and support needs may ask for someone from the Financial Assessment and Benefits (FAB) team to arrange to phone you. In certain circumstances, we may be able to meet with you or the person who manages your money. A member of the FAB team will talk with you in confidence about your income, assets, capital and savings, and complete a benefit check to make sure that you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to. For care at home assessments, the team will work
Visit www.carechoices.co.uk for further assistance with your search for care
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