West Sussex Care Funding Advice Information and advice to help you make the right choices and ease the worry of paying for care. 1
The Carewise partnership Carewise is a pathway to information and advice about the range of care and support options that are available to meet your needs, and the most cost effective ways of paying for care. Carewise was established by Age UK West Sussex, the Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA), West Sussex Forum and the County Council s Adults Services and Trading Standards departments. Carewise has also set up a panel of locally based Care Fees Specialists who are qualified independent financial advisers specialising in later life advice. If you need this information in another format, for example, on audio CD or in a different language, please call the County Council on 01243 642555. 2
Carewise your pathway to information and advice The County Council wants people to make well-informed choices when planning care and support. We want people to choose the best solutions to meet their needs. To do this we offer a wide range of easily accessible information and advice about services that are available. Carewise, is an important part of our information and advice service. It aims to help you make the right choice about your care and support, at the right time, with the right funding solution. The prospect of paying for care at home or residential/ nursing home care can feel daunting. Care in later life seems a complex issue and for most people it is their first experience of arranging and purchasing care and support services. In West Sussex 60% of older people who live in care homes and 40% of older people who live at home, pay for their care from their own income and savings. Many do not seek the information and advice available. Carewise can ease the worry and concern of paying for care and support by giving you access to information and independent specialist financial advice which will help you understand your care and funding options. This is crucial to making an informed decision and choosing the right solution. 3
Care and support options It is important you get information and advice about the range and type of care and support services available to meet your needs. Check to see whether a statutory organisation, for example the County Council or the NHS, might contribute towards the costs. Without this information you might not make the best decisions about your future care and how to fund it. Most people would prefer to continue living independently in their own home and community. A number of people move to a care home because they and their family do not realise that continuing to live independently in their own home with suitable care and support is a realistic alternative option. Age UK West Sussex offers a comprehensive telephone and face-to-face information and advice service which can provide you with information about the care and support options that are available. Age UK West Sussex also provides a Money Advice Service which is a free, confidential service offering face-to-face independent and jargon-free information on all matters relating to personal finance. 4
West Sussex Forum s Caringinfo website and the West Sussex Care Guide provide information for individuals, families and carers about the range of care and support services that are available. The website also includes an online tool to help assess needs, guidance about choosing care, cost and funding advice, and information about independent living. Contact details for both Age UK West Sussex and West Sussex Forum can be found on page 10. You can also access information and advice about care and support services by calling the County Council or visiting the website. You can find the details on page 10. 5
Carewise approved Care Fees Specialists If you are funding your own care, you may not be sure about all the available options. It may seem simplest to pay care fees from savings or income, or indeed from selling your home, but this may not always be the best solution. Carewise provides you with access to trusted, independent financial advice to help you afford the best quality care at home or in your preferred care home. Carewise has approved a panel of local Care Fees Specialists who are qualified independent financial advisers. They are also independent of the County Council. To provide you with additional confidence, the Care Fees Specialists have been: l Accredited by the Society of Later Life Advisers (a not-for-profit consumer facing organisation). l Approved under the Trading Standards, Buy with Confidence scheme. l Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked (previously known as the Criminal Records Bureau [CRB]). l Trained in safeguarding adults. 6
The first consultation with a Carewise Care Fees Specialist is free-of-charge. The Care Fees Specialists will clearly explain their charges for any future advice after the first consultation. We can put you in touch with a Carewise approved Care Fees Specialist near you. You can also find a list of all the Carewise Care Fees Specialists on the website or in the Carewise information pack. You can find the details on page 10. People who can benefit from the independent financial advice include: l Those who might need a small amount of additional income to fund care at home, or capital for adaptations/extensions to their home. l People with an immediate need for long-term residential or nursing home care. l People already resident in a care home and paying for their care from their income and savings. l Existing or potential residents who want to ensure that their savings, investments and other assets pass to their family and/or other beneficiaries. l People acting as an Attorney and looking after the financial affairs of someone in any of the above circumstances. 7
8 A Carewise Care Fees Specialist is able to provide advice from the whole market to guide you through the best options for your individual needs which may include: l Financial assistance to enable you to continue living independently in your own home. l How to release extra income from existing savings/investments. l Releasing equity from the value of your home to either pay for the cost of care at home, fund an adaptation/extension to enable you to continue living independently, or to purchase an Immediate Needs Annuity. l Immediate Needs Annuity this provides a guaranteed regular income to cover the cost of your care. l Investment many different types of accounts and investments may be suitable to provide a return which would help pay for care. l Estate planning and its implications on care fees planning. l Renting out your property it might not be necessary to sell your home as rental income may be able to contribute towards the cost of care. l Legal, tax and benefit issues advice to reinforce your rights and entitlements is crucial when planning for later life and choosing the best way to pay for care.
West Sussex County Council has supplied details of independent Care Fees Specialists and other information and advice services for your information only. The information is not exhaustive and other Care Fees Specialists are available. West Sussex County Council, Age UK West Sussex, West Sussex Forum, and the Society of Later Life Advisers are not responsible for the products, policies or services offered by Care Fees Specialists approved by Carewise. West Sussex County Council, Age UK West Sussex, West Sussex Forum, and the Society of Later Life Advisers will not be liable for any damages or losses, however caused, suffered by any person who relies on information and advice provided by organisations operating within the Carewise Care Funding Advice service. 9
Your next steps To find out how Carewise can help you: l Call the County Council on 01243 642555 l Visit the Carewise website at: www.westsussex.gov.uk/carewise l Visit the Adults looking for support website at: www.westsussex.gov.uk/adultsupport Partner organisations l Age UK West Sussex for information and advice about care and support options, or money advice. Website: www.ageukwestsussex.org.uk Phone: 0800 0191310 l West Sussex Forum for information about the range of different care and support services. Website: www.caringinfo.com (alternatively call the County Council and ask for a copy of the West Sussex Care Guide) l SOLLA assists consumers to find trusted accredited financial advisers. Website: www.societyoflaterlifeadvisers.co.uk 10
Helping you to make the right choice about your care and support. 11
WS908 January 2013 West Sussex County Council Images from: www.johnbirdsall.co.uk