AIBU to think this is crazy? Care Costs

[SedatedMess]

At the moment I need carers, three times a day, to help with personal care, dressing and making meals. I had the 6 weeks of short term intervention for which no-one pays but am now post-6 weeks and a new company is allocated.

I will need a financial assessment to see if or how much I need to pay.

This may not happen until 4 or 5 months have passed (when hopefully I won't need them any more).

I am beyond worried about this - what if I can't afford it? I don't know how much to put by for it.

If I were paying for any other service they wouldn't provide the service for 4 to 5 months with the service user having absolutely no idea how much it would cost - or would they? I can't think of any other service this may happen.

AIBU to think this is crazy? I have no idea how much I need to contribute (nor do the care company - who are pretty rubbish anyway) and all online documents I can find dont give enough information to work this out.

Seems crazy to me. I don’t know anything helpful to pass on, but I can see why you think it’s a problem.

Does anyone know how I can find how to work out how much my care costs will be. When I phoned the care company they said they had no idea but suggested putting some money away for when they ask for under payments.

Please?
Can someone help me work it out?

Who is arranging the care? Is it post hospital discharge? Possibly hospital Social Work/discharge team could help?

How can the care company not know what they charge?

You need the worst case scenario - so ring them back and say “if I pay for x hours of care per week what will that cost me?’

Currently my dad is paying 14 pounds per hour for one carer. So two carers doing a half hour visit costs 14 pounds.

That’s awful that it’s going to take so long to do the financial assessment. They must have a back log as the actual process is b quick, just a matter of inputting your figures into their system. You could ask the council how much the care is costing in total, as the most you would have to pay would be the total cost.
Presumably you don’t have savings over £23500? (Then you would definitely be max charge).

I would complain about not being told how much you have to pay before the care starts. 4-5 months is ridiculous.
Where I work, any complaints escalated to local councillor or MP get looked at quickly.

It’s impossible to say how much your assessed charge would be but a portion of attendance allowance/PIP would be taken plus obviously private pensions etc.
I think any savings over about £16K would have a levy on pushing up the charge but am not 100% on that.
Bear in mind also you can normally offset some of the charge by listing any additional costs you have because of your care needs.

You are right that in no other sector would be be expected to start receiving a service before you know how much it’s going to cost. I would kick up a stink.

@NoSquirrels the care company probably have one rate for private clients and another rate for the local authority (sometimes its a bit less). They may not know the LA rate or may not think they can divulge it. So it’s best to ask the LA.

In my experience, it cost about £22 an hour for two carers (they visited 4 times a day, for a total of 2 hours a day). My Dad's monthly care bill came to roughly £2000, after assessment (but he had a good pension, and our area is one of the most expensive in the country). On the plus side, the council were very understanding when we couldn't always make the monthly payments, and the outstanding balance is now being paid out of his estate (he died in April). I would like to think that, were you to find yourself in debt to them, they would be open to coming to a payment arrangement which you could afford, but obviously it depends on your council and their policy on such matters. I was surprised how easy they were to deal with, and how understanding. Please try not to worry - and I hope your recovery goes well.

Try not to worry and stress yourself out. Maybe tomorrow try contacting your local Council Adult Social Care Department for guidance if no wise Mumsnet people are able to advise tonight. Your health is the priority, take care. X

Your local authority should publish its financial charging policy which should outline what they will and won't disregard.

You should have been given a copy at some point in the assessment process, but if you weren't you should be able to find one online. It may also have the number of the team who complete the financial assessments and if you ring them they might be able to give you an indication over the phone.

the care company probably have one rate for private clients and another rate for the local authority (sometimes its a bit less).

Oh yeah, totally understand this but OP needs the worst case scenario, if there’s no funding at all to subsidise it. So knowing the private hourly rate would be a useful thing, and they could definitely give a quote for that.

That’s ridiculous!

1. the care company knows how much they charge. They need to give you their highest rate so you can plan for worst case scenario.

2. whoever is doing the financial assessment has a system for working out how much you should pay and how much will be paid for you. Ask them for a breakdown of the assessment criteria.

NoSquirrels the care company will know exactly what it charges.

The OP doesn't have a contract with the care company though, it sounds like it's been arranged with the care company by the Local Authority and the OP will be financially assessed/ means tested to see how much she can afford to pay towards that.

My parents say theirs are £16 per hour and you can pay in 15 minute chunks. So if 2 carers came for 15 mins = £8

Private care usually costs around £15 for an hour call.

If you are having a financial assessment, does that mean that you will be receiving a direct payments type package?

These packages are usually paid with a pre-payment card. So the council pays their contribution to the card, which you then use to pay the care company. You would only have to pay any difference between the cost and the contribution. However the contribution varies between each client, the care company wouldn't know - though they should be able to tell you how much the total cost for an hour call would be.

I’d estimate £15 ph

Private care in this region is about £19 per hour for one carer and £21 weekends and bank holidays. The emergency care team give out the forms as do social services and adult social care team. Assessment is done based on income and savings, care level, frequency etc. Takes about a month here.
I would budget for private care and take it from there.
Of course the care company know how much they charge. If they are crap, change them. Your local ASCT should have a directory of approved care companies you can call.

Contact your social worker, they will have a break down from the ccg and council. Currently doing all of this for my mothers care.

My mil was charged around £300-£400 per week for carers 3x per day.

If you need assistance look into: (1) applying for attendance allowance ASAP - the form is a pain to complete, and (2) if someone lives with you and is helping you apply for carers allowance.

Definitely get in contact with social services, they should give you an idea re how much you're likely to be charged- the company my mil had varying rates depending on day of week / bank holidays etc.

Good point above about payment plan, you will be able to pay off arrears in a way that’s affordable. Ime as long as something is being paid they will be happy. And the arrears will have been of their making!

How can you call the care company "pretty rubbish" before they've even done any care for you?

@24NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1
Ho on earth have you come up with such a daft post? I haven't decided they are rubbish based on an idea pulled out of thin air - I have based that on the poor care and totally unprofessional management levels at the company. They have been 'caring' fo me 3times a day for weeks.
Perhaps what confused you was m mentioning that I wil not have a fnancial assessment for 4 to 5 months. They cannot withhold care until a financial assessment needs to be carried out.

For others, who have asked logical and sensible questions and trying to hel me:

1. I have £2,00 in savings. I was self employed prior to this and not in a position to to save. I ended my working life in 2017 due to sight loss. 2)i am only in recept of ESA at presnt with a PIP application being processed. I have asked the council directly an they said they only discuss this at the assessment and when I questioned it further (so I could prepare myself) I was told that is the wait time, if I don't like it I can self fund. @itsabongthing I will email my. MP tomorrow, thank you for helping - the devastating surgery outcome That has triggered the need for carn is truly terrible, let alone being told the long fimancial assessment wait. I have had enough and am so depressed and tired of all. @23:05FurryDogMother I am so sorry to hear about your father dying, what a truly terrible time for all of you. I'm. Pleased your council took a compassionate stance when. You found it difficult. To pay. Sadly, ours. Don't appear to be the same. @hatgirl - is a You should have been given a copy at some point in the assessment process no, I have been given nothing. I was also forced to sign 4 forms and I have no idea what they were form. The onlu K I have is daily time sheets. I have been asking for a personal assessment. I will write a separate post about this as it's been shoddily handled from The start.

@Verily1*
I’d estimate £15 ph I wish they woul tell me as I really cannot afford that
I. Panicking because I cannot afford £15ph but I cannot afford that for just 1 hour per day each week.

Iwill respond to everyone else tomorrow. I. Am so exhausted by it all. The lure of death is so quickly, easily and cheaply arrived at - a lot easier it seems than getting a fimamci assessment

Sorry if the formatting is off, I had to type it all offline in a word processor so think I lost some formatting, I'm. So sorry x x

I doubt it'll be 4-5 months before you get your financial assessment, purely because you only start paying from the week of the financial assessment!

Ask for a copy of their financial assessment and costs. But at as a ballpark it's £14 50ph per carer in the north (LA rate).

Hmmmbop is that right that I would only pay from the date of assessment? The care company told me to start putting some money away weekly so I don't end up with a bill I cannot afford to pay.

This is all so confusing and worrying as I was told that the short term intervention team covers the 1st 6 weeks cost and I pay everything after that.

I feel like I darent even have a shit everyday as they'll charge for that too!! (obviously joking)