Local Solicitor Urges Residents To Assess Their Care Costs

Lynn Vowles, Solicitor, is advising elderly residents across the region that they could be entitled to free or reduced-cost care.

Following the recent announcement of plans by the government to introduce a £72,000 cap on care fees, Lynn Vowles, Solicitor at PCB Solicitors is reminding elderly individuals that they could qualify for care funding if they meet certain criteria.

There are two types of funding options currently available to elderly individuals, the first funding option is NHS Continuing Care Funding, which is free care outside the hospital that is arranged and funded by the NHS and is only available to those whose care is health-related. The NHS funding should cover nursing care needs in hospital, a care home or an individuals own home for conditions such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, or care after a stroke.

If an individual is not eligible for NHS funding, they could benefit from Local Authority Funding instead which is means tested by an individuals local council and can fund a range of care services. An assessment of needs will be carried out which will determine the type of support or service an individual requires, ranging from domiciliary care right through to a live-in-carer. The financial assessment will then decide how much funding should contribute to the cost of care.

Lynn explained: "The care and support system in England and Wales can often be quite complex and difficult to understand, with many organisations requiring assessments and often providing different levels of personal care respectively. And, with the recent announcement that the government plans to introduce a cap on fees, many people may be left even more perplexed about the care they are entitled to.

"As a result, some individuals could be paying for expensive care that they are actually entitled to for free or at a reduced cost, and some may be able to gain a refund on fees they have previously paid. I'd urge anyone that needs help in drafting an application for funding, or those who require further information about the assessment process to get in touch with a member of the team. Alternatively, those who are paying fees but believe they may be entitled to NHS or local authority funding should also get in touch to find out how to appeal against the decision." Lynn concluded.