Am I right that most elderly people must self-fund care if they have assets?

[Coffeeisnotmycupoftea]

People telling me time and again that my mum could get care home fees paid for by the government and I am certain they are wrong.

Mum is in the advancing stages of Alzheimer's having suffered now for 8 years. Between my father, my sister and I we have been caring for her ourselves. We now have a team of carers coming in 3 times a day as we are trying are best to keep her at home, for as long as possible.

We really don't want to put mum into a home if we can help it even though it is becoming a struggle (more for dad as he feels he has no life). This is not because of the fear of losing money as it's costing over £1k per week for the home carers as it is. It's more that we can keep an eye on her care at home and have yet to find a home we like the look of (have been viewing quite a few of late) but the truth is that mum will more than likely need to go into a care home within the next 6 months to a year as her care needs progress.

My parents have assets. I have looked into everything for them and have had SS round to do assessments etc and each and every time we are told care would need to be paid for in full by my parents (with AA and pensions included) because they have well over the £23,250 threshold. My parents FA has also given this information to us. We are fine with this and fully aware if you have any assets you need to pay for your care.

However, so many people we know tell us that mum should and would qualify for 'free' care. They seem to believe that continuing healthcare is really easy to get and I keep hearing their stories that their mum or dad are getting getting care home fees paid for free despite them owning property or having lots of savings etc. My sister is now pushing for us to find out more because someone she works for is telling her we absolutely must not pay for care home fees as we can get it paid for (??).

I am fed up telling them that isn't the case for a large percentage of people and most will have to fund their own care fees whether that is at home care or in a care facility.

I am right, aren't I? That most people with substantial savings and/or a home of their own will need to fund their own care? (I understand a house can not be sold whilst a spouse is living there but if they die the house will need to be sold to pay for the fees?)

Yes you are right. My Mum was having her care funded as they had barely anything then she inherited a substantial sum from her sister’s estate and now she is paying.

I don’t know much about continuing health care but I don’t think it’s easy to get. I don’t think it covers generally old age/frailty.

Edited to say I think a lot of people are in for a shock when they/their parents need care. A lot of people think aging entitles you to state funded care regardless of how much money/savings you have.

You are right. Continuing Health Care is very hard to get.

I think there are some companies out there that offer to fill in all the form for you for a price and they are probably the people saying that it's easy to get. If they were realistic about how many people get it then they wouldn't make much money because people wouldn't bother to apply.

Yes you are right. And FWIW I agree with this system. The taxpayer can't afford to take on the financial burden of long-term care for those who have the money to pay for it themselves.

I do think a lot of people will be very shocked if their parent has to go into care.

We have just recently been through all this with MIL before she died.

She had... Alzheimers, vascular dementia, frontal lobe shrinkage, diabetes, COPD, asthma, heart failure, diverticulitis, peripheral artery disease with continual tissue ulcers. She was bedbound and doubly incontinent. She DID NOT QUALIFY for continuing health care payment. (We were there when they did the assessment, they were right, she did not meet their stringent criteria as she was biddable and a tryer.) She did qualify for the much smaller nursing payment.

Look through the criteria. They really are strict.

My late mum was double incontinent, couldn't walk, talk, dress herself or feed herself.
She was refused CHC funding on the basis of being too ill to be assessed.
She died within a month.
The whole system is a mess. Unfortunately the country can't sustain the cost of care for the elderly.
People get upset that some people pay and some don't. It will only get worse as the population of people who need care grows.

Go to Ageuk.org. They have great factsheets that explain clearly the rules around care funding.

This is an area where insurance would be invaluable, whether that be state-provided or commercial. Spread the cost and risk, so everyone pays something and people receive according to their need.

I don't think there are any commercial products that offer this insurance, unfortunately, perhaps because governments keep saying they will sort out a social insurance scheme - but they aren't actually doing it. We really need a government with a vision and the will to push through positive changes on big issues like this.

For what it's worth, I think it's right that people fund their own care if they can.

Why should someone get an inheritance funded by the taxpayer and the minimum wage carer looking after the elderly parent who will never receive an inheritance herself?

Yes, you are right, OP.

It must be very wearing continually to be told you're wrong by people who have no idea what they're talking about.

The only free ongoing care as far as I know is medical rather than social. And the distinctions can be somewhat unfairly drawn but AFAIK dementia type care is social and therefore paid for and means-tested.

My parents were both eligible for free care but this was fast tracked at end of life palliative stage, for what turned out to be the last couple of weeks of their lives (about six years apart). One delivered at home and one in a home. This kind of care is not means-tested. One had cancer and one heart failure and neither had dementia. Hospice charities are very good at sorting out this kind of care for you, if this is relevant to anyone.

She was refused CHC funding on the basis of being too ill to be assessed.
Wow that’s shocking. If she is too ill to be assessed then surely she needs CHC?

CHC is incredibly hard to get.

The only thing I would say is if you do end up needing to go down the care home route definitely check the financial assessments because we were (deliberately imo) misled by the first one that disregarded MIL rather than splitting their savings 50/50. MIL also battled on longer caring for FIL because she was given the impression their house could be sold to cover costs despite her living there. She was left terrified she’d be left with nothing if she needed care herself.

You are bob on the money - CHC funding is really difficult to get. My dad only qualified for it when he was put on end of life care, so the last four days of his life.

It is really difficult to get CHC funding. There are a lot of people diagnosed with dementia and numbers are increasing. It wouldn’t be possible to provide CHC funding for all those people with dementia.

This is what I read online-

Securing NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) for dementia is notoriously difficult because funding is based on complex, "primary health needs" rather than a diagnosis itself. While dementia patients often require high-level care, they are frequently assessed as having social rather than health needs, requiring families to heavily document symptoms to prove intensity, complexity, and unpredictability.
Key Reasons CHC for Dementia is Difficult
No Automatic Eligibility: A dementia diagnosis does not guarantee funding; eligibility focuses on how the condition impacts daily life.
Assessment Misclassification: Many people with dementia are incorrectly categorized as having social care needs (managed by local authorities) rather than primary health needs.
Complex Process: The assessment involves a two-stage process—a checklist followed by a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) review—which is often described as complex and time-consuming.
"Bad Day" Assessment: Assessors sometimes focus on a patient's good days rather than the severity of their needs on a "bad day".
Tips for Securing CHC Funding
Prepare Thoroughly: Gather comprehensive evidence, including medical records and incident reports demonstrating complex needs.
Document Everything: Focus on challenging behaviors, cognitive decline, and high-intensity, unpredictable needs.
Attend the Assessment: Ensure you (or an advocate) are present to describe needs, particularly focusing on the worst-case scenario.
Appeal Decisions: If rejected, use the right to challenge the decision, as many cases are won on appeal.
Seek Advice: Use resources from organizations like Dementia UK and the Beacon CHC helpline for guidance.
Even if full CHC is not awarded, you may still qualify for Funded Nursing Care (FNC) if in a care home.

For any kind of social care you won't get it funded from what I understand, only if ongoing medical care is required. And not minor medical care. We were told for example that if you had bed sores you wouldn't get care paid, you would have to have bed sores so bad they went down to the bone.

For what is called social care if she has over the threshold of £23,250 then she will be what is called self paying. Self funding.
If she had an assessment for and was accepted to receive what is called nursing care then the NHS picks up the tab for that. Getting nursing care is very very hard. My mum was denied it. Shortly after she died.

I think most people are blissfully unaware how elder care works and is funded. I am not saying I fully understand myself, but I regularly hear people saying that they won't be a burden to their children because they'll ask them to 'stick them in a home' at the first sign of decline. That's all well and good if they can self fund, but for that we are talking hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds that you'd need to have saved. The local authority isn't going to fund your place as soon as you click your fingers and say you want to enter a home. It's going to be a last resort.

I'm only 38 but I already have a 'care home' savings pot that I'm very serious about growing.

I always have extra insulin ready and my kids are aware I'm going to use extra once I start having serious problems with my diabetes. They don't like it but accept it's my choice.
Am 20 years in with type 2 and still going okay but I'm ready and happy.

My mum has assets and funded her own care for a few years and has now qualified for continuing healthcare, so her almost £2k a week fees are now paid for.

That's understandable but a different situation to what I am describing.

My mum had a massive stroke which left her paralysed and in need of 24 hour care. She did not qualify. The refusal of finding went to appeal, but no.

I have never heard a of anyone with dementia getting funding.

This is the issue. For tasks provided in a care home it is called social care and you have to pay if you have the means to do so.
If you were in hospital, the same tasks would be under the NHS. And they would pay.
Mad.

I agree, people have no idea unless they have experience of this.

Most of the really good care homes in our area have waiting lists and those that don't are often dreadful places. I am on most of the UK FB dementia support groups and there are a few on there who have spouses in care homes miles away as they were the only LA funded ones with availability. One poor man, who is in his 80's has to travel 40 miles away just to visit his wife.

Some people will be in for a rude awakening.

DH's uncle had a massive stroke 18 months ago and went straight into a care home from hospital. He didn't qualify either.