Caution urged on care claims

LOCAL solicitors Dickinson Parker Hill are urging people to think twice about schemes designed to protect your home from care fees.

The average annual cost of a stay in a care home now stands at £30,000 and £40,000 for a nursing home.

If you have more than £23,250 of assets, the general rule is that you are required to pay for your own care.

The situation can be different if you have a health need which may make you eligible for funding from the NHS.

Michael Prendergast, a partner at Dickinson Parker Hill, has said: “In certain circumstances assets, like your home, can be disregarded depending on your personal circumstances.

“As a result of the potentially high care and nursing fees, many people are lured into arrangements that are aggressively marketed by unregulated companies with unqualified staff.

“They often give the impression they are qualified to provide legal advice but in reality they are not.

“Many people often end up paying thousands of pounds for new wills and trusts which are totally unnecessary and, in many cases, do not end up protecting property or assets from care fees.”

He added: “There are steps that can be taken to help protect assets but they need to be fully explained and dealt with by a qualified legal professional. Usually, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”