If you are the main ‘bread winner’ and are the one who has had the stroke or in a relationship where both parties work, then you’re financial situation may change and you may have to pay more for things like heating, travel, equipment and care.
As a priority go to your bank and obtain a copy of all your direct debits and standing orders.
Use the attached link to carry out a financial self assessment. It will help you to make future financial decisions and may speed up the process when you talk to your mortgage lender or landlord.
Mortgages
The largest outgoing most of us have is a Mortgage. A mortgage is a loan secured against your home, so if you can’t repay it and you get into arrears, the bank or building society can repossess your home to recover its money.
Things to do:
* Step 1 – Communicate
Speak to your mortgage lender as soon as possible to see if they can help.
All mortgage lenders have to consider your circumstances, and will have procedures for dealing with cases like yours. Discuss your options with them and find out which one may be best for you.
* Step 2 – Deal with debt
Talk to a money advice agency if you need help sorting out any debts – they offer a free service.
Mortgage Help
If you are having problems paying your mortgage
Government Mortgage Help
Wigan CAB
Leigh CAB
WIAC – Wigan Independent Advice Centre
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Tel: 01942 324 851 |
High Street Banks & Building Societies
All high street banks and building societies offer some form of debt advice.
Debt advice is not the same as debt counseling. (see CAB - Citizens Advice Bureau)
* Step 3 – Other Options
Check whether your repayments are covered by any insurance policy you have or whether state benefits may be available.
Things to avoid
Taking out a loan to pay your debts
Think seriously before taking out a loan to cover your repayments. These loans can be very expensive and are often also secured on your home, putting it at even greater risk. (refer to the budget calculator to see if you can afford a loan)
Handing back the keys
Until it is sold you are still responsible for paying the mortgage. If your house sells for less than your mortgage you will have to repay the balance. Your lender can chase you for up to six years after the sale for this money.
Selling your home and renting it back
Often called ‘sell-to-let’, ‘rent back’ or ‘mortgage rescue’ schemes, they are un-regulated and if things go wrong you may have no access to the complaints and compensation procedures of the Financial Services Authority (FSA)
Financial Services Authority (FSA)
Rent
Whether you are a council tenant or private rent payer the procedure is the same as for Mortgage payers – If you having problems paying the rent – Speak to the landlord straight away!
Insurances
Health
Always tell the insurance company about your stroke. If you do not tell them, then your insurance cover may not be worth anything.
It may be more difficult to get life insurance after a stroke, or your premiums may go up. It is always worth shopping around.
Car and Travel Insurance
Car and Travel Insurance may be more expensive. Different companies charge differently, so it is worth asking around. There are Insurance Companies that specialise in offering insurance to disabled people and they may be cheaper.
Information about Car Insurance and Travel Insurance is available from the Association of British Insurers
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Association of British Insurers
51 Gresham Street
London
EC2V 7HQ |
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Tel: 0207 600 3333 |
Fax: 0207 696 8999 |
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Email: info@abi.org.uk |
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Website: www.abi.org.uk
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Road Tax
You may be entitled to a free tax disc if you're a disabled person who gets the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), War Pensioners Mobility Supplement (WPMS) or have an invalid carriage.
Entitlement to Free NHS Prescriptions
NHS criteria for patients eligible to recieve free prescriptions are:
Age
- A person who is under 16 years of age
- A person who is aged 16, 17, 18 and in qualiying full time education
- A preson who is aged 60 and over
Pregnancy
- A woman with a valid exemption certificate issued by the Central Services Agency because she is an expectant mother or has within the last twelve months given birth to a live child or a child registered as stillborn
Medical Grounds
A person with a valid exemption certificate issued by the Central Services Agency because they have one or more of the following conditions:
- Permanent fistula (including caecostomy, colostomy or ileostomy or laryngostomy), which requires continuous surgical dressing or requires an appliance
- Epilepsy requiring continuous anti-convulsive therapy
- A continuing physical disability, which prevents the patient leaving home without the help of another person (temporary disabilities do not count even if they last for several months)
- Diabetes mellitus except where treatment is by diet alone
- Diabetes insipidus or other forms of hypopituitarism
- Hypoparathyroidism
- Forms of hypoadrenalism (including Addison’s disease) for which specific substitution therapy is essential
- Myxoedema
- Myasthenia gravis
- A person receiving a War or MOD Disablement Pension holding a valid exemption certificate issued by the Secretary of State in respect of the supply of drugs and appliances for the treatment of the accepted disablement only
Income Grounds
A person who is receiving, or whose partner is receiving:
- Income Support
- Minimum Income Guarantee (equivalent to Income Support where recipient or partner is aged 60 or over)
- Income based Job Seekers Allowance
- A person named on, or entitled to, a tax credit exemption certificate
NHS Prescription Pre-Payment Certificate
- A person who holds a valid prescription pre-payment certificate
For more information about NHS costs and exemptions please click here
Paying for Social Care
How will I know if I have to pay?
Your social worker will let the Financial Assessment Team know that you are getting care services. A financial assessment officer will then contact you to arrange to complete the assessment form CCF1. They will usually visit you at home. You will need to provide details of your income and savings. The information you give will help Adult Services to work out how much you should pay.
As well as working out your charge, the financial assessment officer will help you to apply for any other social security benefits you may be entitled to.
What will the cost be?
Adult Services have a fairer charging policy for home care and day care services, which has been set in line with government guidance, ‘Fairer charging policies for home care and other non-residential social services’.
The amount Adult Services ask you to pay is based on your income, matched against a needs allowance which is set in line with basic levels of Income Support or Pension Credit.
The financial assessment officer will explain how Adult Services will work out your charge when they visit you.
How will my savings affect the cost?
If you have more than £23,000, Adult Services will ask you to pay the full cost of services. If you have more than £50,000, Adult Services will ask you to pay a higher rate for home care.
If you have less than £23,000, the amount you should pay will depend on your financial assessment. Adult Services will ignore payments you get for the savings part of Pension Credit.
What about the high cost of disability?
Disability-related costs to cover essential items or outgoings can be offset against your charge, for example, if you have to buy a stairlift or pay for domestic help. This also applies to anyone paying for private care provided by someone other than the council.
How often will I get a bill?
Adult Services will send you a bill every four weeks for services you have already received.
How do I pay the bill?
You can:
- pay at your local post office
- pay at a PayPoint outlet
- pay by credit or debit card
- pay by calling into the Civic Centre in Wigan or at Leigh Town Hall
- pay by post
- pay by standing order
- pay your bill on-line
Look on the back of your bill for more details of how you can pay.
What happens if I don’t agree with the charge?
If you don't agree with the amount Adult Services are asking you to pay for your care, you should contact the person who has told you about your charge, or fill in the online 'Customer Care: Tell us What You Think' form.
What do you charge for?
| Service |
Cost |
| Assistive Technology - Monitoring and maintenance of equipment |
£3.10 per week |
| Assistive Technology - Mobile response service |
£1.55 per week |
| Home Care with savings under £50,000 |
£9.64 per hour* |
| Home Care with savings over £50,000 |
£13.08 per hour* |
| Day centre - Learning disability day care - one session a day |
£13 per day or part day session |
Day centre - Elderly mentally infirm (EMI) day care -
- Two sessions a day (Monday to Friday)
- One session a day (Saturday and Sunday)
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£10.90 per session |
| Day centre - Elderly and physical disability day care - one session a day |
£10.90 per day or part day session |
| Day centre - Admission charge for people using day care with Direct Payments, Individualised Budgets or Independent Living Fund |
£2.70 per attendance |
Please Note
If you need to cancel a home care visit, please give a minimum of 24 hours notice, otherwise you will be charged one unit* for the missed visit.
*The cost of home care is calculated and charged for in units of 15 minutes. For example, if you receive home care for 30 minutes per day and your savings are under £50,000, you will be charged at a total of £4.82 (2 units at £2.41).
Direct Payments
A 'Direct Payment' is a cash payment given to you by the council to buy your own care services from the person or agency of your choice. That person can be a friend or even a relative, as long as they don't live in the same house as you.
Direct Payments is all about giving people who need care real choice about who provides that care, what they provide and when they provide it. It's available to anyone who has been assessed as being in need of community care services. You must be willing and able to manage direct payments on your own, or with help from other people you know and trust.
First, a social worker will visit you and talk to you about the type of help and support you need, and plan with you appropriate services. This is called an 'assessment'. You can get direct payments if the outcome of your assessment is that you are eligible for services.
Remember, to discuss with your social worker all the non personal care issues that you need eg. Time for social meetings, shopping, assistance with ironing if you are unable to stand for long periods, or periods of respite if you are a carer.
We use the government's 'Fair Access to Care Services' guidance to work out your eligibility. If you are a carer, you can also get direct payments for services provided under the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000.
If you are eligible, you can either ask the social worker to directly arrange the services or ask for a direct payment to arrange your own services, or a mix of the two.
The Direct Payments Team will support you every step of the way. By listening to you, they will help you to decide the best way to use your direct payments. They can also offer other help, such as:
Help with paperwork
- You will have to keep a record of how you spend your direct payments, but the forms you will use have been designed to be clear and straight-forward.
Help to recruit personal assistants
Free payroll service
- If you employ a personal assistant, they may have to pay tax and National Insurance on their wages. A payroll service can be provided, free of charge. Staff from our payroll service will work out any tax and national insurance for you, and send you a payslip for you to give out with their wages. Some people want to learn how to do this themselves, and the Direct Payments Team can help you to do this.
Help to choose an agency
- You can choose which care agency you like, but if you are unsure which to choose we can help by sending you a list of the agencies that we use.
Employer and Public Liability Insurance
- If you employ someone, you must have this insurance. The council will pay for it and the Direct Payments Team will tell you how to arrange it.
Age Concern Direct Payment Team
- If you are 65 or over support will be provided by the dedicated Direct Payments Team based at Age Concern, 96 Bradshawgate, Leigh.
Ask your social worker to make a referral to the Direct Payments Team on your behalf, or download a visit request form(60kb). A member of the team will make arrangements to visit you and discuss the scheme in detail. There is no obligation to accept a direct payment.
Carers Financial Help
Carers are entitled to Carers Allowance and could also be entitled other benefits from the government too.
The benefits system is complicated. Claiming can be difficult and time-consuming. If you are not sure whether you can claim, get advice from your local Citizens' Advice Bureau, a disability organisation, a carers' project or an Age Concern branch.
Below are the main benefits for carers and the people they look after:
Benefits
Most people who have had a stroke will be entitled to some sort of income, either from their employer in the form of sick pay, or from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or other statutory agencies.
Some of the benefits you may be able to claim are:
Means Tested: Based on current income and any savings you may have
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit
Non Means Tested: Based on National Insurances (NI) contributions you may have made
- Incapacity Benefit
- Statutory Sick Pay (if employed prior to your stroke)
Benefits on assessment of your disability: The level of support you are entitled to depends on the extent of your disabilities
- Disability living allowance
- Motability
- Attendance allowance
- Council tax exemption
- Constant attendance allowance
- Industrial injuries disablement benefit
- War disability allowance
Employment Benefits: If you are still working or intend to return to work
- Disability living allowance
- Child tax credits
- Working tax credits
Carers Benefits (1): If you need a care worker to look after you
- Direct payments
- Individualised budgets
- Independent Living Fund (ILF)
Carers Benefits (2): If you are a Carer over the age of 16 and caring for more than 35 hours per week
Local council benefits and low-income benefits: paid to couples, so each partner's income is taken into account. If your household is on a low income, you may be entitled to other state benefits, such as:
- Income Support - contact your local Jobcentre Plus
- Pension Credit - If you are over 65 - phone the Pension Credit helpline
Pension Credit helpline
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Tel: 0800 99 1234 |
Talk to a money advice agency if you are unsure whether you are entitled to any benefits or other financial support – they offer a free service.
WIAC – Wigan Independent Advice Centre
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Tel: 01942 324 851 |
For impartial and in depth information concerning your finances
Money Made Clear
Dept of Work & Pensions Benefit Enquiry Line
Citizens Advice Bureau
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Wigan Office - |
Tel: 08701 264 459 |
Fax: 01942 829 122 |
Leigh Office -
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Tel: 08701 264 459 |
Fax: 01942 267 969 |
Job Centre Plus
See local directory for Telephone Numbers
Benefits Agency Enquiry Line
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Freephone: 0800 882 200 |
| Text Phone for people with hearing difficulties: 0800 24 33 55 |
Making a Benefits Claim
Benefits are claimed by filling in forms and sending them to the relevant address.
Do not delay in making a claim because you do not have all the information you need or the right form. Certain benefits can start on the day you first contact your social security office or other relevant office in person, by letter or by phone saying you want to claim the benefit. However, you will usually need to send in your claim form as soon as possible.
If evidence is required, such as a letter from your doctor that you do not yet have, explain on the form that you will send it later.
Keeping Records
It is easy to forget what information has been given and by whom when you are making a claim. It helps if you can:
- Keep brief notes of the main points that have arisen in any relevant conversation, who the conversation was with and the date it took place.
- Keep copies of any letters or forms you have sent and of those sent to you. You may need these if there are delays in sorting out your claim or if your claim is refused and you wish to challenge the decision.
- Make sure you have all the relevant details to hand if you are asking for information either over the phone or in person.
Changes to Incapacity Benefit
From October 2008, the Employment and Support Allowance will replace Incapacity Benefit for new claimants. The aim of this new system is to identify what people are capable of, and provide extra support for them to get back into work where possible.
A new 'Work Capability Assessment' will be introduced which claims to be a fairer system that takes into account both physical and mental difficulties. There is more information available on the Department for Work and Pensions website.
Dept of Work & Pensions Benefit Enquiry Line
Benefits and Tax Credits Calculator
People across the UK are missing out on benefits and tax credits worth more than £8 billion a year. Entitledto can help make sure you get what is yours. Just use this simple calculator to work out how much you could claim. This site is free and no personal information is required, so anonymity is assured.
Entitledto
Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in England and Wales
There may come a time when, because you are incapable of making decisions about your health care, welfare, property or financial affairs, you will need someone to do this for you. You can formally appoint a friend, relative or professional to hold a lasting power of attorney that will allow them to act on your behalf.
A very limited form of power of attorney can be granted by someone for cashing benefits. This is done by filling in the back of the book, which has a form for this purpose.
If the only thing that is required is dealing with a bank account then this can be done using a third party mandate. Most banks have their own forms for doing this.
The granting of a power of attorney does not deprive the donor of the power to act personally on his / her own behalf. For example, s / he can sign cheques concurrently with the attorney(s).
It can be drawn up at any time while you have capacity, but has no legal standing until it is registered with the Office of the Public Guardian.
If a lasting power of attorney is not set up, arrangements for making decisions can sometimes become quite complicated, and may need to involve costly legal proceedings.
How many people should you appoint and who?
You may not be able to check up on the attorney yourself if you become incapable, so it may be a good idea to appoint more than one person to help prevent abuse of the responsibility. Choose people you can trust to act in your best interests. You should consider how well they look after their own financial affairs and whether you can trust them to use your money to meet your needs. You can use a solicitor to set up an LPA or the online form on the Office of the Public Guardian website.
Office of the Public Guardian - Opening hours 9.45am to 5pm
Other organisations that may be able to offer financial advice or information
Wigan Jobcentre Plus
Independent Financial Adviser Promotions
Can direct you to an Independent Financial Advisor in your area.
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IFA Promotion Ltd
2nd Floor
117 Farringdon Road
London
EC1R 3BX |
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Tel: 0800 085 3250 |
National Debt Line
National Debtline is the national telephone helpline for people with debt problems in England, Scotland and Wales. The service is free, confidential and independent.
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National Debtline
Tricorn House
51-53 Hagley Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B16 8TP |
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Freephone: 0808 808 4000 |
Fax: 0121 410 6230 |
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Website: www.nationaldebtline.co.uk |
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