Care needn’t be costly. If you think that you or your loved one might be priced out of home care, you may be able to access funding by undergoing an adult social care needs assessment.
If their assessment proves successful, eligible applicants can benefit from a whole range of equipment and services. The care needs assessment is free, and anyone over 18 can apply, but only eligible individuals will benefit.
This informative guide will explore what exactly a care needs assessment is, the eligibility criteria, and the process of applying for funding. If you would like more information on social care funding, take a look at our useful finance and funding home care guide.
What is a care needs assessment?
Your local council carries out an adult social care needs assessment to establish your loved one’s care and support needs. Local authorities are legally bound to assess individuals if it is apparent that they need extra social care support, and this is at no cost to the individual. To undergo a care needs assessment, you can request it yourself by contacting the local council with information about your loved one’s current care needs, or the hospital or social services may also refer to them.
The assessment can be carried out in person, via a questionnaire, online, or by telephone. A social worker, occupational therapist, or another suitably qualified person will lead the assessment. It is helpful to make notes beforehand about the kind of support needed, challenges faced in day-to-day life, and wished-for outcomes so that these can be presented during the assessment.
Learn more about the care needs assessment from the NHS website.
Am I eligible for social care funding?
Regardless of your income, savings, or whether the local authority thinks you are eligible, the council is legally responsible for giving every individual a care needs assessment. Once care needs are determined, a means test or financial assessment is carried out to evaluate the individual’s ability to pay the cost of the care required.
Finances such as savings, income, and personal assets are all considered in the means test. As a guide, if the value of your loved one’s financial assets is below £23,250 they should be eligible for local authority social care funding. If their value is less than £14,250 the highest level of support can be expected.
Depending upon the results of the means test and where an individual stands with social funding thresholds, they will be eligible either for full or partial social care funding, or not eligible for any financial support from the local authority.
Changes to social care funding
The current system for social care funding is set to change. Currently, individuals with assets above £23,250 are expected to self-fund their care, while those with assets below £14,250 are eligible for full funding.
However, upcoming changes will increase the lower limit, allowing individuals with assets below £20,000 to be considered for funding. Additionally, the upper limit will be raised from £23,250 to £100,000, meaning only those with assets exceeding £100,000 will be required to self-fund their care.
Furthermore, a new ‘cap’ will be introduced on the amount an individual has to spend on personal care costs over their lifetime, set at £86,000. This cap is designed to protect individuals from unlimited personal care expenses, ensuring that no one pays more than £86,000 for their care needs.
How to apply for funding
If you think your loved one is eligible, the first step in applying for social care funding is to contact the local authority to arrange a care needs assessment. If you require contact details for your local authority, take a look at the UK Government’s local authority search tool.
Following the care needs assessment, your local authority will then assess your finances as part of the means test to establish whether or not an individual is capable of paying for the care support they require.
For those with a complex, ongoing health condition they may be eligible for another type of care funding. NHS Continuing Health Care is provided solely through the NHS and arranged and funded by your local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
What happens next?
If eligible for social care funding, you and your loved one have two choices. Either, you can let the local authority manage your social care funding budget and find the suitable carer on your behalf. Or the second option is to receive the personal budget directly so that your loved one can make their own care arrangements.
These direct payments can be used to pay for care services, equipment, or activities that align with your social care needs. The advantages of managing a personal budget is that the individual can choose the care service provider they wish to receive care from. Whereas if the local authority has control of the budget, they will choose a provider from their preferred list.
Get in touch today
At Trinity Homecare, we are aware that finances play an important role in care planning. Budgets and eligibility for funding are factors that will influence the decisions you and your loved one will make regarding their care. That’s why we strive for transparency concerning the costs of care and aim to offer an affordable alternative to other types of care, such as residential care facilities and nursing homes.
Trinity Homecare is a fully managed care agency with an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating, placing Trinity amongst the top 4% of all nationwide care companies in England. With this in mind, you can rest assured that your loved one will receive the highest standard of care and specialist support.
If you have any questions about the costs of care, simply get in touch with our helpful and knowledgeable care team.
Arranging nationwide care with Trinity is straightforward. Simply follow these five steps:
- Call our care team
- Undergo a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your care needs and arrange a care assessment
- After the assessment, a plan of care is created
- A well suited carer is found and placed
- Care can be adapted at any time
