Social Care & Health

Social Services

12 week property disregard for Residential & Nursing Care

Background

The Scottish Executive has advised that from 9th April 2001, people entering a care home should not have to sell their homes in the first 12 weeks after they have been permanently admitted. This gives people the opportunity to return home anytime in the first 12 weeks of their permanent stay.

Local Authorities will assist with the care fees of individuals in the first 12 weeks who cannot afford their care fees until their house is sold.

• Do you qualify for financial help ?
• Are you eligible to access Free Personal and Nursing Care ?
• Are you living in East Ayrshire prior to going into care ?
• Will the period of care begin after 9th April 2001 ?
• On admission, do you own your own home and live alone ?
• On admission, if the value of your property is disregarded, will you have less than £21,500 in savings / cash ?

If the answer to all these questions is yes, you are eligible to seek financial assistance for the first 12 weeks you are in care.

How do you get advice ?

If you believe you are eligible for financial assistance, you or a friend or relative should contact your nearest Social Services office.

Office Contact Information

What happens next?

Once you have made contact with a member of Social Services, staff will carry out an assessment of your needs and agree if you need residential & nursing care. The member of Social Services staff will also carry out a financial assessment to determine how much you can afford to pay towards your care in the first 12 weeks. This will include your pension, any occupational pension and perhaps some other contributions. This will all be explained to you by the person carrying out the assessment. If we don’t think that you need care, you will not be able to receive financial assistance.

Must you accept help?

No. It is up to you whether you want to undergo the assessments to get help. You can arrange your own care with the provider as long as you have over £21,500 in savings or property. However, as you will use your funds up quickly, we advise that if you have £21,500 or less in savings and property you seek Social Services advice BEFORE entering care.

What do I do next?

You should not arrange to go into care until AFTER your needs assessment has been completed and agreed. If you choose to go into care before or during your assessment the Council cannot guarantee you will be eligible for funds. If In doubt, contact your nearest Social Services office for advice.

What happens at the end of 12 weeks?

At the end of the 12 weeks you will need to sell your house. You will then have sufficient funds to pay your own care fees until you qualify for Council support when your savings reach £21,500