Managing the Cost of Worcester Home Care

We recognise that many families worry about the costs of care. They might assume they’ll have little choice but to sell a much-loved home to pay for a residential care centre, or won’t have the ability to stay independent, happy and settled at home if they or a loved one requires ongoing support.

There are numerous misconceptions about the costs of care, and we know that home-based assistance is commonly more affordable than new clients may have realised, with support from a hugely skilled, dedicated team of care professionals who go above and beyond to provide practical, emotional and domiciliary help with kindness, compassion and respect.

Our first advice would be to contact the Severn Vale Home Care team if you are concerned about paying for care or need support making difficult decisions. In the meantime, we’ve set out some guidance on how we ensure every care plan is bespoke, affordable, and gives you or your family member the right to make decisions about the best care structure for you.

Understanding the Financial Aspects of Receiving Professional, High-Quality Care at Home

More and more people are living longer, and there are often ingrained assumptions that once a person requires day-to-day help with tasks like meal preparation, requires palliative care to stay comfortable, or relies on support to get out and about, the inevitable conclusion is that they will need to relocate to a care home.

While care and nursing homes provide a valuable service and may certainly be an option, there is sustained demand for home care because this means:

• Maintaining independence, staying in your own home and with no pressure or requirement to sell your home or transition to residential care if you don’t wish to.
• Variable, customised support, where care professionals can help with as much or as little of your routines as you wish.
• Accessing reliable help from friendly, trusted and known carers who will adapt to your schedule while giving you the reassurance that your care is fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Importantly, home care is generally more cost-efficient because you aren’t paying for any support services you don’t require. Many clients might, for instance, initially have visiting care once or twice a week or blend respite care with family care and only increase the amount of care and support when the care recipient feels this would be beneficial.

How We Deliver Affordable, Quality and Compassionate Home Care in Worcester

Bespoke care planning is a standard part of our service because no two families are identical. Every person we support may have very different requirements in terms of personal care, mobility assistance, the tasks they wish to perform independently, and those they’d like help with.

Customised care planning means that you or your loved one has full control over the amount of care we deliver and what that looks like. This can vary from 30-minute care visits to ongoing live-in care and everything in between.

While we know our care charges are competitive, this also means there isn’t a minimum cost per week or month, or that by requesting help at home, you are making a commitment to a significant regular outgoing if this isn’t needed and isn’t financially sustainable.

There are several benefits and financial support schemes out there we often mention, but for many the biggest advantage of home care is the peace of mind of never having to sell a family home, and having autonomy over how care works best for you.

As you’d expect from Severn Vale Home Care, our care costs are clear, transparent, and inclusive. This means you can see what care will cost based on your requirements and plan your budgets accordingly, with no unexpected surprises and none of the additional fees that are often payable for residents living in a care home.

Understanding the Financial Support You or Your Family May Be Entitled To

Many people reviewing their care options are eligible to claim support, which you can use towards the costs of care if you wish – some of those benefits are means-tested and therefore only payable if you fall into a specific income or wealth bracket, but others are not.

This is one of the myths around care costs. Although local authorities will not generally contribute anything towards care for those with capital over £23,250, that doesn’t exclude you from claiming separate benefits and entitlements.

While not an exhaustive list, you may like to look into the following:

• Attendance Allowance is not means-tested and is payable to people above the State Pension age who need assistance to remain independent at home. It is currently paid at two different rates, depending on your health and mobility, from £73.90 to £110.40 a week.
• Carer’s Allowance is underclaimed and can be paid to a loved one who provides some or all of your care support. This is also available for familial carers who use respite care regularly or occasionally. Carers who look after someone for 35 hours a week or more can claim £83.30 per week.
• Pension Credits are means-tested and designed for claimants over State Pension age. Your entitlement depends on your weekly income and whether you are claiming as an individual or a couple, but this can provide financial support that ‘tops up’ your income to £227.10 or £346.60 a week if claiming with a partner.

Additional benefit entitlements, including the Personal Independence Payment and Disability Premiums, are also available for adults who need home care support and are not yet at retirement age, depending on their income and ability to work.

By working through all the benefits and financial support you may be eligible for and structuring home care in a way that works for you and your family, you may find that care assistance is significantly more manageable than you may have thought.

Of course, if you need advice, assistance, or help making decisions about the level of care or type of home-based support you or your family needs or would like to chat about costs, options, and care planning, you are welcome to get in touch with Severn Vale Home Care at any time, and we will be more than happy to assist.