Care in Old Age - Help from the State
Since the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 came into effect in April 1993, local authorities have become largely responsible for providing state support for elderly people whose physical or mental health is failing.
The system as it stands at present works as follows.
Coping alone
If you can no longer cope alone at home or your carer needs help, you can contact the social services department of your local authority. If you need financial help from the state, social services will carry out an 'assessment of needs'; social services will also carry out an assessment of needs on request from people who do have enough money to pay for care themselves.
Based on this assessment, a care plan will be drawn up. This sets out the level of care which social services reckon you need and the ways in which your needs can be met.
Some equipment and services provided by your local authority are free to everyone or offered at a minimal charge. But in the main you will be expected to pay for home helps, carers, care homes, and so on, unless your income and savings are relatively low.
If you have been in hospital and need continuing medical care but provided instead in a nursing home, the NHS usually foots the bill regardless of your income or savings.
Social services
Social services can require your husband or wife to contribute towards the cost of your care, but no one else: for example, adult children cannot be asked to pay.
If you go into a care home temporarily, to give your carer a break, say, the normal income and savings rules don't apply but, at its discretion, your local authority can make a 'reasonable charge'. It must take into account any outgoing costs you still have to meet in running your own home, standing charges for fuel bills, council tax, and so on.
