Non-residential care

Please be aware that if you are making an application for financial assistance to help reduce your care home costs, the law requires you to declare your true financial circumstances. Failure to do so could render you or your representative liable to legal proceedings.

Income

We will look at your income to see what needs to be included and what can be ignored. The Government tells us that we have to ignore some of your income to allow for general costs of living such as food, clothing, water charges, utility bills, telephone bills etc.

This ignored amount must also be used to pay for the things you choose to do or to buy.

Any Disability Related Expenses (DRE) will be considered separately.

Cost of Living Allowance

The amount the Government tells us to ignore is known as the minimum income guarantee (MIG). The amount ignored depends on your personal circumstances.

If your income (including tariff income) is less than this ignored amount you will qualify for full financial assistance and you will not have to pay for any of your financially assessable services.

Housing Cost Allowance

How much do I have to pay when you have worked out if I qualify for financial assistance?

Based on your financial circumstances, we will work out the maximum amount you can afford to pay each week for your care and support services

Do I always have to pay the maximum I can afford each week?

Not always. It depends on the level of services as detailed in your care and support plan. Your services might cost less than the maximum amount you have been assessed as being able to afford. If that is the case you will only have to pay the amount your services cost.

What if my care and support services cost more than I am assessed as being able to afford?

You will only have to pay the amount you have been assessed as being able to afford each week. You will qualify for financial assistance for the rest of your costs.

How is the amount I am assessed as being able to afford worked out?

Quite simply, this amount is the difference between the amount of money you have coming in and the amount of money we are able to disregard.

Minimum Income Guarantee — Ignored amounts

Single People aged 18 to 24	Weekly
Basic rate	£89.15
With a disability premium or DLA (middle or low rate care) or PIP (standard daily living component)	£138.80
With DLA (high rate care) or PIP (enhanced daily living component)	£163.05
With a carer’s premium	£142.40
With a disability premium or DLA (middle or low rate care) or PIP (standard daily living component) and a carer’s premium	£192.05
With DLA (high rate care) or PIP (enhanced daily living component) and a carer’s premium	£216.30

Single Person aged 25 to State Pension Age (SPA)	Weekly
Basic rate	£112.50
With a disability premium or DLA (middle or low rate care) or PIP (standard daily living component)	£162.15
With DLA (high rate care) or PIP (enhanced daily living component)	£186.40
With a carer’s premium	£165.75
With a disability premium or DLA (middle or low rate care) or PIP (standard daily living component) and a carer’s premium	£215.40
With DLA (high rate care) or PIP (enhanced daily living component) and a carer’s premium	£239.65

Single aged State Pension Age (SPA)	Weekly
Basic rate	£232.60
With a carer’s premium	£285.85