Financial Information and Advice

The new GCC pathway Naomi Snell

The Care Advice Line

Requirements under the Care Act for this service Establish and maintain a service providing people in their areas with information and advice relating to:

• Financial decisions when accessing care and support • Financial decisions when planning for care and support • Targeted and personalised information and advice around

personal finance

Provide access to financial information and advice independent from the local authority.

Facilitate access to regulated financial advice.

Three distinct and separate requirements

The Care Advice Line

• National information and advice service helping adults, their families and carers with care and support needs to make informed decisions about their care.

• Commissioned by GCC to deliver Information and Advice on the impact on finances when accessing Care & Support.

• Staff with 18 years unrivalled experience in providing care information and advice to the public.

• Free telephone information and advice service including non-regulated financial advice and access to appropriate regulated financial advice and appropriate legal professionals.

• Please note - Live 1 April 2015

Who is this service for?

• Any adults with care or support needs. • Individuals.

• Carers.

• Family members or representatives seeking help for a loved one.

• State-funders.

• Self-funders.

• Plus any adults seeking advice on future care needs and wishing to plan ahead.

How will The Care Advice Line support people? • How the health and social care systems works including statutory entitlements.

• The care reforms and what they mean for individuals at a personal level.

• The pension reforms and the impact on future care needs.

• Eligibility rules plus tariff income calculations, property disregards, threshold limits.

• The different types of care, associated costs and how to arrange including direct access to recognised experts in care fee negotiation.

• Independent advice on benefit entitlements.

• Helping to plan a future care need.

• Helping to plan an imminent care need.

• Legal matters such as arranging a Power of Attorney and Wills.

How will The Care Advice Line support people? • Independent financial advice including personal contributions, statutory and

other support.

• Property ownership formats and implications of different approaches.

• What constitutes intentional deprivation of assets.

• The implications of running out of money.

• The various options available to help pay for care including Deferred Payment Agreements, financial solutions and other ways to use property and matters that should be considered.

• Access to experienced professionals to help manage legal issues and NHS funding claims.

• Access to appropriate regulated financial advice.

• Access to appropriate legal advice.

• Anything else which might arise in association with a care need.

What does The Care Advice Line NOT do?

Holistic service however there are limitations.

For clarity and to avoid confusion we do not:

• Arrange care packages - although we can help people to access paid for placement services.

• Negotiate care fees with providers – although we can help people to access paid for fee negotiation professionals.

• Carry out care needs assessments - although we can help people to access paid for needs assessment services.

• Arrange Blue Badges or Mobility Assessments – although we can signpost to these

• Provide an advocacy service – although we can signpost or refer to these

Are there any fees?

• The services of The Care Advice Line are free and unlimited to citizens of Gloucestershire.

• If an individual wishes to take professional advice – ie legal or financial – this may incur costs for the customer.

• Agreement with us to provide free initial consultation.

• If customer chooses to instruct the services of the professional, the fee is agreed between the customer and the professional

• This will vary depending on the services and advice being provided.

GCC’s aims with this new service “People with good and impartial financial information and advice have a better understanding of how their available resources can be used more flexibly to fund a wider range of care options.”

• Promote the message of early action and planning for future care and support needs.

• Raise awareness of care and support, including paying for care.

• Complement other information and advice available.

• It is in both citizens’ and GCC’s interests that people take this free offer up, particularly self-funders and others who often do not wish to talk to GCC.

To proactively offer this service to anyone researching the cost implications of care or support– individuals and carers. Operational staff can refer directly. Please note: This is an additional service.

The process – Basically a discussion! • Identification of individuals with care or support need – could also include

representatives.

• Advise individual/representative/carer of the free The Care Advice Line service . • Explain how it can support them to make informed decisions about their care and

support and how they also pay for it.

• GCC Contact Centre can offer to transfer the caller to The Care Advice Line on short dial 17966

• Or ring: 01452 22 22 00.

• If with the customer/representative: Offer a call back from The Care Advice Line – complete the e referral form.

Arranging a call-back Simple e-referral form. Hyperlinks in adult social care staffnet web pages and forms

How can you help make this a success for the people of Gloucestershire? • Promote in your locations/buildings.

• Promote to your patients/customers – introduction of proactive pathways?

• Discuss with your partners/providers – spread the word.

• Include in your websites/publications/leaflets/magazines.

• Promotional leaflets available in late April.

• Other ideas? Contact us at: careact@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Our plans to promote this service

• Full marketing, communication and engagement plan

• Rollout to partners in the care community –hospitals, GPs, NHS Trusts, care providers, third sector, district councils, faith groups, ethnic community groups etc.

• Rollout to wider council departments – libraries, council offices, leisure centres, registrar etc

• Explore less traditional routes – private hospitals, bowling clubs, chiropodists etc

• Link up with local employers.

Case study (1)

• Call re Mum and Dad.

• Mum is Dad’s carer but his health deteriorating and becoming very hard for Mum. Residential care looking likely.

• Want to know if Dad would be eligible for state-funded care.

• Jointly own property but all money and other assets in Mum’s name.

• Advised that property would be disregarded and likely to be eligible for state-funded support as Dad’s assets and income below £23,250.

• However…

• Probed further – why put in Mum’s name?

• Accountant recommended they do this 20 years ago when Dad retired as had large pension (£1k pm) – otherwise Dad had all the tax

• Mum held the savings – Dad had the pension income

• Issue 1 – Dad unlikely to be state-funded due to pension

• Issue 2 – Mum in potential dire straits as no pension as redirected to pay for Dad’s care yet still got to pay all the household bills!

• Son distraught – ‘Not thought of that’.

• Advised Dad can pay 50% of private pension to Mum. Dad then assessed on £500 pm pension.

• Position changed from securing free care for Dad to securing an income for Mum.

Another case study (2)

• Mum has savings about £8k. Sole owner of house in Italy worth £60k. Own home in UK and would have £130k in equity if sold. Dad died last year.

• Mum’s income is £363 monthly from dad’s private pension, £103 monthly from her private pension, £325 higher rate attendance allowance every four weeks and £770 state pension every 4 weeks. Overall annual income is £19,827 (£381 a week).

• At the moment just has 3.75 hours care because Dad did a lot of the caring. She has to pay because of the ownership of the house in Italy.

• Likely cost of residential care between £650 and £750 pw in either Sussex or Leicestershire.

Questions:

• What happens at the point where she runs out of money/goes below the savings threshold?

• What is the funded rate for care?

• What is the threshold, will it change?

• What would happen if she transferred ownership of the Italy house to son and daughter this year which was something Dad meant to do but ran out of time? Would it still count when she got to the savings threshold/when money from the UK house ran out?

• Is there anything we need to be aware of if Mum moves from one local authority area to another?

• What will the Care Act mean for Mum?

Our response focused on (3 page report)

• Ensuring Mum receives the care she wants and needs.

• Maximising entitlements to state benefits and support.

• Avoiding potential asset deprivation.

• Understanding how the current and future care systems will impact Mum’s position

• Tariff income calculations from April 2016.

• Assisting with care options, contract negotiation and longer term financing.

Another case study (3) • Dad has been living with Mrs and the family for the last two years. He has deteriorated and has been

in hospital.

• He was discharged and went into a care home for 28 days private respite. The care home have said they only offer short periods of respite and if he wants to stay permanently they will have to let them know.

• Dad has over £23,250 and owns his house 100%.

• Family and Dad exploring options. Considering privately funded 24/7 care at home. Discussed other care options.

• Mrs wanted to know about the £72,000 Cap. Ran through including that Cap will only start if Dad has eligible care needs from April 2016.

• Dad gets DLA (both components) and pension income. Advised on FNC if he requires nursing.

• Asked if a POA is in place and if she is aware of importance of financial planning.

• Advised on LA assessment process as she asked about how the system works. Had a general chat and agreed that once Dad and the family have made decisions she will call back.

• Advised that Dad’s house will be included as an asset as he isn't living there which she didn't understand until today.

Another case study

• Dad is in Sheffield and he has placed himself in respite residential care . He has now decided that he wants to make it permanent but move to Inverness to be nearer to his her (daughter).

• He has above the £23,250 and they do not want SS involved. The care home she has been to see have asked about an assessment.

• Advised what a care needs assessment is and advised he is entitled to it but doesn't have to have it.

• He can go into care privately and pay the full costs however implications if he runs out of money.

• They are going to financially plan for him and wants to seek regulated financial advice.

• Will call back when ready to access it.

Thank you

Any questions?

For more information on the Care Act in Gloucestershire

www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/careact

careact@gloucestershire.gov.uk