Paying for Care

Financial assessment for a placement

Your financial assessment to work out what you will have to pay towards your care and support takes into account:

• your weekly income
• the amount of savings and capital you have

Your assessed weekly income minus your personal expenses allowance will give you the amount you need to pay towards your care.

Will also consider certain expenses in relation to maintaining your home in the community.

Please note that this is only offered if you are in a care home on a temporary or respite basis.

Capital and savings

You will automatically be assessed as having to pay the full cost of your care and support if:

• you have over £23,250 in savings and capital, and
• the Council is assisting you with making your care arrangements

Property

The value of the property will be included in your capital (unless disregarded in the financial assessment) if you:

• own property
• own a share of a property

If this is the case and you have under £23,250 in liquid capital, you may be able to enter into a deferred payment agreement with the Council.

Income

Your income includes:

• State Retirement Pension
• Pension Credit
• Income Support
• Occupational and Private Pensions
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Job Seekers Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Industrial Injury Benefit
• Universal Credit

War Widows Pension / War Widowers Pension / War Disablement Pension

War Pension will be is not counted within your financial assessment.

Couples

If you are claiming benefits as a couple, we would need to assess your individual entitlement to the income that you both receive. This is so we can calculate how much you need to pay towards your care and support.

You will need to inform the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that one of you is now in permanent care if:

• your placement is permanent and
• you are claiming benefits such as Pension Credit

They will then assess you as individuals for benefit purposes and make revised claims.

Attendance Allowance/ Disability Living Allowance/ Personal Independence Payment

These usually stop after 4 weeks (28 days) of being in care. This would include any period that you were in:

• hospital
• another care home

You may be able to continue to receive payments whilst in a care home if you receive either:

• Disability Living Allowance Mobility Component
• Personal Independence Payment Mobility Component

These payments will not be included in your financial assessment.

You can continue to claim any of the following that you are entitled to:

• Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance Care Component
• Personal Independence Payment Mobility Component

But only if:

• you are paying the full cost of your care
• you enter into a deferred payment agreement

Personal Expenses Allowance

Your Personal Expenses Allowance is set by the Department of Health every April.

The amount is set at £30.15 per week (2024/2025).

This is intended for you to purchase things that are not provided by the care home. An example is toiletries.

Savings credit disregards

If you are aged 65 or over, you may also be entitled to a further disregard on your income of up to £6.95 (£10.40 for couples). This depends on the amount of income you receive.

Tariff income

If you have capital between:

• The upper threshold (£23,250.00)
• the lower threshold (£14,250.00)

you will be assessed as though you have an extra £1 a week income for every £250 or part of £250 between the lower and upper limit.

This is regardless of whether you are above or below pension age.

Expenses

If you have to maintain your home in the community, the following outgoings will be taken into account in your financial assessment:

• Rent/Mortgage
• Council Tax
• Home Insurance
• Water Rates
• gas/electricity (standing charges only)
• telephone (Line rental only)
• Service Charges/Ground Rent

If you would like a copy of any of this information, then please:

• send us an email
• telephone the Financial Assessment Team on 01702 215008 option 2

Calculated examples can also be included.