State Benefits
What State Benefits am I entitled to? Complete our enquiry form for a free, no obligation, initial consultation.
The following rates apply from 6th April 2012
Attendance Allowance
This benefit is paid to you if you need help with personal care or you require supervision to avoid danger to yourself. You must be sixty-five years old or over to claim Attendance Allowance. The benefit is paid at one of two rates; a lower rate for those who require care either during the day or the night and a higher rate for those who also require care day and night. The benefit levels are usually reviewed in April and the payment is made directly to your bank account.
The weekly rates are:
* Lower rate £51.85
* Higher rate £77.45
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
DLA is payable if you are less than sixty-five years old and need help with personal care or you require supervision to avoid danger to yourself. It can also be paid if you need help with getting around.
The weekly rates are
* £20.55 if you need help during part of the day
* £51.85 if care is needed either day or night
* £77.45 if you need care day and night
The mobility component is paid at three rates depending on the degree of your disability
* £20.55 if some guidance or supervision is required when outdoors
* £54.05 if you are unable to walk or walking would cause a risk to your health. This rate can also be paid if you are both deaf and blind.
NHS Nursing Contribution
NHS Continuing Healthcare
If your condition is acute or terminal you may be entitled to receive NHS Continuing Healthcare. The assessment process is stringent but, if granted, the NHS will meet the entire cost of your care. Continuing Healthcare is not normally granted for conditions such as dementia.
Twelve Week Property Disregard
If you have savings of less than the local authority upper funding limit (£23,250 for 2012/13) and a property to sell to fund your care you may qualify for this benefit if Social Services assess you as needing residential or nursing care. Your local authority will fund your care as though you did not own your property for twelve weeks by making a contribution towards the cost of your care. You may top up this contribution from your own funds.
Deferred Payments Scheme
If your property has not sold when the twelve week disregard ends your local authority may allow you to continue to receive a contribution towards the care costs but this will now be a loan against the property value. The loan is interest free providing it is repaid within 56 days of the property being sold or the requirement for care ceasing. Most local authorities make a charge for setting up this facility. When setting up this facility make sure you ask how your Attendance Allowance will be treated as you will be entitled to received this benefit again as you will no longer be state funded.
I have less than £23,250 in total and have been assessed as needing residential or nursing care. What will the state provide for me?
Local Authority Funding becomes available if you have assets below the upper funding limit, which is currently £23,250 in England. You should initially contact the Adult Social Services team at your local authority to confirm what you are entitled to.
They will want to do two things:
- 1.Financial Assessment ~ so that they understand your financial situation and confirm that you are entitled to funding. It is important to be aware that they are not entitled to conduct a financial assessment on your spouse, partner or family.
2.Care Assessment ~ The local authority will need to conduct an assessment of your care needs. This is described here.
Once your local authority has assessed your care needs they are responsible for providing you with with the care required. They will find you a suitable care home and contract directly with that home to pay for your care. They will expect you to contribute your entire income towards the cost of your care, less a personal spending allowance of £23.50 a week. If you have a spouse you will be allowed to retain half of any private pensions in most cases.
You cannot use your money to ’top up’ the local authority contribution to buy care in a home of your choice. Only a third party, such as a family member, can contribute towards your care.
If you have given away money in the knowledge that you need care your local authority might regard you as having deliberately deprived yourself of those assets to avoid paying for care.
Tariff Income
The local authority have two funding limits; the upper limit is currently £23,250 and the lower limit is £14,250. For every £250 you have over the lower funding limit you are required to contribute £1 a week towards the cost of your care.
For example, someone with £23,250 will pay £36 a week in tariff income, which works out at a little over 8% of £23,250. Therefore, unless you find a very good investment, your money is likely to erode.
The rates given above are for England only and apply from April 2012. The benefits in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be provided on request.
Download our current state benefits leaflet here
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