Paying for care
You may be concerned about how to pay for home care. The good news is that in Scotland ‘personal care’ is currently free for those over 65, although this is based on an Assessment by Social Services.
Under the government’s Self Directed Support / Direct Payment scheme anyone eligible can receive funding for care and support services. You can arrange your own care and choose your own provider for that care. Your local authority can pay you directly to cover all or part of the cost of your care.
Please call Allan-Ross on 01875 616666 for advice on funding. You can also contact your local Council or your Citizens Advice Bureau for more information.
Details of some of the benefits and payment you may be entitled to are listed below.
Social Security Benefits
You may be able to claim social security benefits to help meet the cost of any extra care and support that you require at home. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) now performs the functions previously carried out by the Department of Social Security. At a local level, the Benefits Agency has been replaced, for older people, by the Pension Service.
Attendance Allowance (AA)
This benefit is for people aged 65 or over who, because of an illness or disability, need help with personal care, or supervision from another person. For example, you might qualify if you need help getting dressed, washing or going to the toilet. There is no upper limit for Attendance Allowance and it is not related to your income or savings. Attendance Allowance is paid at two rates: a lower rate for people who require personal care or attention by day or night, and a higher rate for those requiring care by day or night. You can claim whether you live alone or with another person – what matters is that you need help, not whether you are actually getting help from someone else. Normally you have to meet the conditions for six months before the benefit is paid but there are special rules for people who are terminally ill.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
This is for people who are disabled and make a claim before their 65th birthday. Disability Living Allowance has two parts: a mobility component and a care component. The mobility component is paid at two rates, and is for people who cannot walk, have great difficulty walking or who need someone with them when walking outside. There are three rates of the care component. The rules for the middle and higher rate are the same as for Attendance Allowance and the lower rate is aimed at people not assessed as disabled enough to get one of the other rates. Normally you need to fulfil the conditions for three months before the benefit can be paid.
Carer’s Allowance
Carer’s Allowance is paid to people who are unable to work full-time because they are spending at least 35 hours per week caring for someone receiving AA or the middle/higher rate DLA care component. This is a means tested entitlement. Carers UK, Tel: 0808 808 777, or call Carers Line for a benefits check.
Pension Credit
Pension Credit has two parts - the guarantee credit, which has replaced Income Support (Minimum Income Guarantee) for people over 60 and the savings credit, which provides extra cash to people of 65 and over who have income over a set level because they have saved and/or have another pension apart from the state pension. There is no fixed upper limit on savings above which Pension Credit cannot be claimed. The guarantee credit can top up your income to a set amount. The savings credit component of Pension Credit can be claimed by people of 65 and over and, for couples, only one person must have reached 65.
Other Benefits
Some other benefits are available which may help you to meet extra costs or disability or to make your home more suitable for your needs. These include reduction in Council Tax, help with heating and insulation or help with repairs and improvements.
Independent Living Fund (ILF)
This fund was set up to make payments to severely disabled people who needed to pay for care in order to remain living at home. Their website can be found at www.ilf.org.uk . Telephone: 0845 601 8815.
Payment FAQ
Q. Do I have to pay community care charges?
A. Whether you are required to pay for any care you receive depends on your income. Generally if you have a high income or are on certain benefits you are required to pay something towards any care provided for you as part of a Local Authority assessment. Free Personal Care is only available to over 65s.
Q. How do I complain about an assessment or if I am charged for services?
A. If you are not happy with an assessment decision, or a failure to make a decision, there are a number of ways you can complain. You can use the Local Authority’s complaints procedure, your local councillor or MP, or the Care Commission.
Q. Where can I find out about enduring power of Attorney?
A. If you cannot manage your affairs, or feel that this may be the case in the future, you can choose someone to decide on your behalf what is done with your financial affairs and property. The Office of the Public Guardian has a number of publications to assist you, Tel: 01324 678 300. EARS East Lothian is a service for older people who are receiving care services and can be contacted at Tel: 0131 478 6030. For further advice and practical help try The Scottish Helpline for Older People on 0845 125 9732.
Q. Do I have any rights as a carer?
A. You have the right to request that the Local Authority assesses your ability to continue providing care at the same time that the person for whom you are caring is assessed for services. Your assessment should be taken into consideration when decisions are made after your relative’s/friend’s assessment. The Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 places a duty on Scottish Local Authorities to inform carers of their right to an assessment. A carer’s assessment can result in additional help being provided to the person cared for. A carer may receive support from the Local Authority directly (in the form of information, advice or access to other resources) to assist them in their caring role. Guidance makes it clear that Scottish Local Authorities should not charge carers for support provided to them in their caring role. Carers UK have useful information including a helpline ‘CarerLine’, Tel: 0808 808 777
Q. What are the independent living funds?
A. The independent living funds provide financial help with your care package to help you remain in the community rather than enter residential care. Contact numbers are on our information page.
Q. What if I am being discharged from hospital?
A. If you are being discharged from hospital and have a community care need the hospital must notify the relevant Local Authority. The Local Authority should then make an assessment in order to ensure that appropriate support is in place when you return home. You should not be charged for the initial 6 weeks.
Q. What is ‘supporting people’?
A. The ‘Supporting People’ programme was introduced on April 2003. The programme aims to plan and manage housing-related support services, e.g. home help at a local level. Some support services previously supplied as part of housing benefit are now supplied under this programme. Telephone your local council for information.