How much does home care in Kent or south London cost?
Here at Home Healthcare, we understand the importance of treating our clients as the individuals that they are. In light of this the cost of your care depends on the type of care you need, and how regularly or consistently you need it.
Before we provide you with a price for our care services, we will work with you to establish your requirements in terms of what you need and when you need it. We will then draw up a care plan for your approval, complete with pricing details included. You will know all the costs in advance and can increase or decrease the package at any time.
We are usually able to do this when we first meet you or during a telephone conversation.
Can I afford Home Healthcare?
Many people are concerned about their ability to cover the cost of the care that they need, but fortunately there are a number of options available to you to fund or help to cover the cost of your care.
We’ll outline some of the main avenues you may wish to explore when it comes to paying for care below, and if you need any further information or support, just let us know and we will do our best to help.
Private Funding
Many people pay for their care privately, from savings or other income they have. Paying for care privately means you are free to increase, decrease, stop and start care as needed without requiring authorisation from anyone else, including the local commissioner.
Equity Release
Increasingly people are using the value in their property to pay for care. We can refer you to an independent financial advisor if you are interested in doing this. Essentially you free up money for use now that is paid back on the sale of the house. They do not share your financial information with us or with other people.
Getting help with care costs via the benefits system
The social security benefits system is administered by your local Council. They assess your financial situation, including your savings. If you have a lower level of savings and income you may find that you are entitled to specific benefits to help to fund your care. We can provide insights and guidance on the types of benefits you may be eligible for, and how to get them.
Benefits for care costs fall into particular categories, and may be available to both you and your carer.
These are:
• Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance is a non-means tested benefit that can be used to pay towards having someone to help take care of you. You can find out more about Attendance Allowance here.
• Direct Payments
Direct Payments are approved and funded by the local council for the area you live in. Direct Payments are made to people who have been assessed as needing help with social services, and who wish to arrange and pay for the care that they need privately rather than using the council’s own dedicated services.
To find out more about Direct Payments and your eligibility for them, please contact the social services department of your local council.
Private health insurance
If you have any form of private health insurance, you may be able to use this to cover all or part of the cost of your care. Check your policy details and contact your insurance company directly to find out more.
Other options to fund care
Kent and South London in particular have a number of charities and non-profit organisations may also be able to provide advice and guidance on paying for care, or in some cases, even help to contribute to the costs themselves.
Here are some useful links to find out more:
Payment options for your care
When it comes to how you can make the necessary payments for your care and how you manage your account, we aim to make things as easy for you as possible.
We accept all of the standard payment methods, and we can also accept payment via PayPal – just let us know what works best for you.
You can manage your account with us online via email, or over the phone – and we will always provide you with an invoice for your records, including a detailed breakdown of our costs and services. We can also send this to a family member or a friend if there is someone who helps with managing the paperwork for you.