Understanding the Care System

The prospect of needing or requiring Long Term Care can be a daunting one, both for the individual and his or her family.

Understanding how to deal with Social Services assessment procedures and what they mean, knowing what benefits to claim and how, and finding the right residential or nursing home for your needs can be problematic.

It is then essential to ensure that all the legal and financial options have been examined before making any decisions which will affect your emotional, physical and financial well being when entering care, as well as that of your loved ones.  

Legislation under section 47 of the NHS Community Care Act states that any person in need of care must be assessed by their local Social Services to determine the type of care best suited to their needs. This may be Domiciliary Care, where services are provided to individuals in their own homes, or Residential or Nursing Care in specialist homes.

Having confirmed that care is required, an additional financial assessment, or means test, will be carried out by Social Services to determine the individual’s ability to pay the ongoing cost of that care. During this assessment you will be expected to disclose full details of your assets. These will include all property currently or previously owned, to determine whether you or Social Services should pay for your care.