Finding A Solution To Long Term Care Costs
 It is an alarming fact that every year around 70,000 homes are sold to pay for long term care. Although we are living longer, we are not necessarily living healthier and so larger numbers of people will find themselves needing some form of social or nursing care in the future. Currently, there are around 1 in 6 people every year moving permanently into a care home.
If, like most people, your home represents your main asset which you have worked long and hard for, you should consider how you can guard against having to sell it to fund any future care needs. With the average annual costs of residential care costing £25,000 or more, it is easy to see that any money realised on the sale of your home could soon disappear, leaving your loved ones to inherit little or nothing.
 Advantage Legal are experienced in advising on long term care problems and we will tailor our advice specifically to your needs, which may ultimately mean you could safeguard at least part or even all of your property from being used to fund any future long term care.
Even where your home has to be sold to fund your long term care, we may still be able to suggest practical or financial solutions, in association with our network of trusted and experienced financial advisors, to help preserve your remaining assets.
If your needs are for nursing, rather than social care, we can offer you advice on the assessment process to determine whether you might qualify for free nursing care funded by the NHS. And not only can we advise you on the eligibility criteria in your local NHS area, but we can also act on your behalf in the complaints procedure if you feel that you have been wrongly assessed as not being eligible. If you are already paying for your nursing care, it might be possible to claim back all the money you have paid out - which could amount to many thousands of pounds!
 Advantage Legal can offer you advice and guidance on a variety of questions :-
- Should you be charged for your care and how much should you pay?
- Should you update your Will to guard against future care home fees?
- Is the care contract reasonable and should you try to amend the terms?
- Will your spouse or partner be expected to pay towards your care?
- Will your spouse, partner or other relative be able to continue to live in your family home if you have to move into a care home?
- What assets will be means tested to fund your care home fees?
- Are there any welfare benefits you may be entitled to?
- Can you take out insurance to pay for your care?
- Should you make a Living Will, setting out your health care wishes in the event that you become unable to communicate them?
- If you are no longer able to manage your finances, who will do this for you?
Careful planning is needed but the time to act is now
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