The Independent Age website has a series of great articles on choosing a care home and the issues surrounding your choice. Here’s an example:
Will you have to sell up to pay for care?
The rules are complicated and there are many grey areas. An Independent Age adviser will happily talk you through your options (call 0800 319 6789 or email advice@independentage.org). They cannot advise you on how to protect your assets or give legal advice on individual cases. For this, you need a solicitor or independent financial advisor.
Basically, the value of your home counts towards your assets unless any of the following people live there permanently:
- your spouse or partner (from whom you are not separated or divorced)
- a relative over 60 or who is incapacitated. Incapacitated means entitled to Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (formerly Disability Living Allowance) or Attendance Allowance.
- a child under 16 whom you are liable to look after.
These aren’t the only exceptions – more details in the Independent Age factsheet Care home fees: paying them in England.
