Will I be means tested for hep with partner's care?

[Velvetgoldmine]

Hi this is my first post here so please excuse any etiquette blunders. Partner has a rare but terminal illness. Has suddenly got very much worse in the last few weeks and I am struggling to cope. I still work full time from home (necessary to pay the rent etc). I have some savings (£60k). He falls often and I am not always able to get him off the floor so have to call ambulance to help, and yesterday the ambulance crew suggested a referral for carers but said that after a month it would be means tested. Does this mean that my savings would be considered as part of his assets? We are not married but have been together for nearly 20 years. I recognise that I need the additional help (currently sleeping only a few hours a night and run ragged the rest of the time) or alternatively I need to give up my job to care for him, but that would make us both homeless very quickly. Can anyone please advise me?

Hi OP, I am sorry that you are going through this. You could ring Age Uk they are open every day until 8pm They will be able to talk to you about the assessment and any benefits that your partner could be claiming. The information in their website is worth reading first.

i think (thy will confirm) that assessment is only based on his income / savings.

www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/

Anything solely in your name will not be in the means test. Anything in joint accounts will be 50/50 regardless who put in what. The it goes on his income not yours.

if you do have any joint funds now is a good time to ring fence your half.

Sorry you’re going through this.

Also he might be eligible for Continued Helathcare funding (CHC) as his illness progresses. Speak to his social worker or hospice about that.

Also not sure where the month thing comes from. Are you in England?

@weirdwalking thank you for that advice, it's really helpful. I am in the UK, the month was mentioned by the ambo crew when they picked him up yesterday. They said he would likely get a month of support without any need to pay for it but after that it would be subject to means testing. He has less than £6k in savings, and his attendance allowance and state pension are his only income. We have a joint account which we both pay into to cover our rent and bills, also we have a family member who lives with us and contributes via that account. I will ask about CHC too. Thanks again for the helpful info.

@rose69 thank you - I will contact them to see if they can help.

Ambulance crews aren't social workers and frankly usually aren't always that up to date with criteria for services and access routes into services. You need to speak to Adult Social Care who will give you proper advice and information about their assessment processes.

Some local authorities offer a month of 'free' reablement if their assessment is that reablement might reduce the need for long term care down the line. It may not be offered if it's clear from the outset that the person needs long term care support .

Some health authorities and social care have entirely unrelated arrangements to reablement where health pay for the first 4 weeks of care after a hospital admission to speed up the hospital discharge process. It means people waiting at home or in a care home for their social care (Care Act) assessments rather than in a hospital bed.

Only his income and savings will be taken into account for the financial assessment but if you have your savings in a joint account then they will consider half of that his.

As he has a terminal condition then depending on the progress of that it's likely he will have his care fully funded by the NHS under something called 'Fast Track Continuing Healthcare' (FTCHC) when he is considered to have entered the terminal phase of his condition.

Any equipment put in place by adult social care will be free (except major adaptations like wet rooms etc which again he would be means tested for).

Get yourself registered with the local carers association and get yourself a Carers Assessment as well.

Also a lot of gps will sign people off sick if they are giving end of
life care.

Thanks everyone for the input - all of it is useful. Wish me luck as I start down this rather sorrowful road!

So sorry that you are in this difficult position. Try to look after yourself when you can.
You could look whether Marie Curie offer support in your area.