As life expectancy increases the number of people going into residential care is also growing dramatically. You may be considering going in to a residential or nursing home yourself or you may be looking at the options for a relative or friend.

It can be an emotional time and there are many important decisions to be made. Finance tends to be an area which causes one of the greatest concerns and.raises many questions.

Those going in to care with savings of over £21,000 would have to pay the full cost of care home fees themselves. If their savings fell below £21,000 they may be eligible for Local Authority assistance with the cost of their care and the Local Authority would carry out a means test in order to determine this.

Some questions our team are often asked include:

• Do I have to pay for residential care myself?
• Will the Local Authority help?
• Will I have to sell my house?
• If my spouse/civil partner goes into care how is our house treated by the Local Authority?
• What about our joint savings?
• Can I get help for nursing care?
• What assets do the Local Authority take into account in carrying out the means test?
• What can I do if I disagree with the Local Authority assessment?
  

If you, a family member or friend are going in to a residential or nursing home our specialists are on-hand to provide independent advice regarding your rights and to answer any questions you may have.