What you need to know about the new Care Act

England’s care and support system is changing from April 1st, helping to make care more consistent across the country and bringing about most significant reform in social care for more than 60 years

The new Care Act is designed to ensure that any decisions about care and support consider people’s overall wellbeing and focus on supporting them to stay healthy and independent for as long as possible.

Anyone who receives care and support, or supports someone as a carer could benefit from the changes.

Where has this come from?

Care and support is something that nearly everyone in this country will experience at some point in their lives.

The number of people aged 80 and over in the UK is projected to more than double to six million by mid-2037.

These changes – the most significant in over 60 years – are designed to make the system fairer by putting the needs, wishes and goals of people, and their carers, at the heart of every care decision.

What’s new?

There are three key changes being introduced from April 2015, and a further two coming into effect from April 2016, including:

From April 2015:

1. Support for carers
• The changes to the care system mean that anyone who provides unpaid care or support to an adult family member or friend may be able to get more help so they can carry on caring, and look after their own wellbeing.
• Carers will be entitled to an assessment of their needs, irrespective of whether the person they care for has eligible needs; and for the first time, if a carer has eligible needs of their own, they will have the right to support from the council.
• A carer’s assessment will look at the different ways caring affects a person’s life and will work out how to help people carry on doing the things that are important to them and their families. Carers’ physical, mental and emotional wellbeing will be at the heart of all assessments.
• The assessments could result in practical support such as taking a break from caring or a direct payment to spend on things that will help carers look after their own wellbeing alongside caring e.g. information about local support groups or equipment to make caring easier (e.g. a mobility aid).

2. Deferred payment agreements
• Some councils already offer deferred payment agreements, but from April 2015 they will be available across the country.
• Deferred payment agreements mean that no one should have to sell their home in their lifetime to pay for their care.
• A deferred payment agreement is an arrangement with the council enabling people to use the value of their home to fund home care costs without having to sell their home in their lifetime. People can then delay repaying the council until a more convenient time, or until after death.
• A deferred payment agreement is only one way to pay for care. To find out more about the options available, people should speak to a financial adviser or seek advice from an independent financial organisation.

3. Needs
• From April 2015, for the first time there will be a national minimum level of care and support needs that all councils will meet whether people receive care in their homes or in residential care homes. Councils will use this to agree what help they can give people.
• The national eligibility threshold will provide peace of mind that wherever people live in the country, or plan to move within England, if their needs meet the threshold, they will be eligible for support.
• If someone decides to move to another area, councils will have to work together to make sure that there is no gap in their care.
• Those receiving care will be informed how much it will cost to meet their needs, and how much their council will contribute towards the cost. People will therefore have more control over how that money is spent.
• Whatever people’s needs, their council will be able to put them in touch with the right organisation to support their wellbeing and help them remain independent for longer.

From April 2016:

1. Cap on care
• From April 2016 people will be protected from unlimited care costs through the introduction of a cap on care costs.
• This means that no one will have to pay more than £72,000 towards the cost of care they need to meet their eligible needs, and many people will pay less.
• Most people will still have to contribute something towards the cost of their care and support.
2. Expansion of financial support
• From April 2016 there will be more financial help available, meaning that people with £118,000 worth of assets or less could be eligible to receive financial support if they need to move to a care home. Currently only people with less than £23,250 in assets and low incomes receive help with care and support costs
• How much they receive will depend on an assessment of their finances that will be carried out by their council