Professional & Quality Service without the High Street Price Tag

NHS Care Funding

Must I pay for my own Residential or In-Home Healthcare if I own Assets?

A common myth is that if a person owns assets, including property, then they must pay for their own care. This is incorrect and incomplete information, as the value of your assets is irrelevant for HEALTH care and is only taken into account for SOCIAL care.

In law, all UK citizens ordinarily resident in the UK are entitled to free HEALTH care under the National Health Service (NHS) whether in hospital, at home or in a residential nursing care facility.

Unfortunately, for a number of reasons the NHS often incorrectly denies funding because in practice the application process is flawed, overly complicated, confusing even to members of the NHS, and motivated by financial rather than medical objectives.

If a care need can be identified as SOCIAL (such as lack of mobility) rather than HEALTH (dementia, cancer, etc.) then the NHS will determine that care should not be funded by them, but rather by a local authority. This then means that the patient must pay for their own care if they own assets of £23,250 or greater, including property.

Thus, the vast majority of patients with long term health needs are refused NHS Care funding and understandably simply accept this.

However, once patients and their relatives are aware that the law protects their right to NHS funding for genuine healthcare needs, they simply need to adopt a proven process in order to obtain funding or appeal an incorrect refusal for NHS funding.

We provide full support and guidance throughout this process for patients and their relatives. The only costs incurred by the patient or their relatives before a positive result are those of any NECESSARY EXPENSES incurred by TRF whilst providing the appropriate support and guidance. This amounts to travel expenses for attending assessment and/or funding appeal meetings as well as essential administration costs (e.g. postage).

No fees are due at any time during the assessment process (or appeal process if relevant). If we are successful in obtaining NHS funding, a fee of £5,000 falls due to TRF by the patient or their relative (subject to a maximum of 10% of the equivalent annual private care funding costs if below £30,000), less any travel and administration costs already paid (There is NO additional VAT charge).

To put this into perspective, the average cost of permanent nursing care in the UK is well in excess of £3,000 per month. Therefore, a successful application or appeal for NHS funded care would save a patient or their relatives well in excess of £36,000 per year.

Please note that NHS Healthcare funding continues to be assessable after it has been granted. If the patient’s health need(s) recede(s) sufficiently, then funding may well no longer be available.

It is also extremely important for a patient to arrange Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), at least for their Health & Welfare, as soon as possible whilst they maintain their mental capacity. This makes the process of obtaining eligible funding or appealing a refusal for funding far easier should the patient lose their mental capacity at any time thereafter.

If you are unable to find the information you need on this site, then please contact Michael Cotterill, WITHOUT COST OR OBLIGATION, on either
01392 949003 or 07784 028708

If you prefer, you can email him at michaelcotterill@trfwills.co.uk

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