Costs and benefits
There may be charges for the services received by the person you care for but they may also qualify for financial help and welfare benefits.
Who will pay?
As well as working out what services the person is entitled to through a Community Care Assessment, it is also necessary to calculate how much, if anything, they will pay towards these services.
This will be done through a financial assessment, where the finances of the person you care for will be assessed.
The person you are caring for can choose not to have a financial assessment and in this case they will be expected to to pay the full charges for the services provided.
If the person you care for is aged 65 years or over on the day of discharge, and has been assessed as needing home care, then they are entitled to this free of charge for a maximum of 28 days.
However, free Personal Care, such as bathing and dressing, continues for thos aged 65 years and over. For further information contact your local Social Work Service.
Prescription charges
On 1 April 2008 the Scottish Government proposed to reduce the prescription charges to £5.00 with further reductions towards a proposed total abolition of the charges in 2011. For information on current charges, exemptions and pre-payment certificates please speak to your local pharmacist.
Welfare benefits and support
Both you and the person you are caring for may be entitled to claim benefits. Below is a list of some of the benefits you or the person you are caring for may be entitled to:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit
- Carer Allowance
The above is not an exhaustive list of the benefits available.
For access and assistance contact:
- Pension Service
- Local Job Centre Plus
- Citizens Advice Centre
- PRT Lanarkshire Carers Centre
- Local Social Work Office
- Local Money Matters (South Lanarkshire only)
- Development Officer (free phone numbers for north & south)