This month I was asked this question and thought I would post my response. This is something that is increasingly going to crop up over the next few weeks and months during the winter pressure on hospital beds. It is a common scenario, particularly now that a new directive has

The last few mornings in my part of rural Leicestershire have started with scraping ice off the car windows. The central heating thermostat is back on a higher setting (don’t tell my husband) and I have followed the winter checklist for my car as recommended by my garage. So, I

You may arrange it for yourself and your loved ones and check that older relatives will be getting theirs – but if they are supported by carers or are in a residential care setting have you asked: What is the providers policy for their staff? Do they positively promote to

Tens of thousands of ‘Severely Mentally Impaired’ (SMI) people who are entitled to a Council Tax discount could be missing out on about £400 a year, says MoneySavingExpert.com If someone is diagnosed as SMI, they can be ‘disregarded for council tax purposes’ in England, Scotland and Wales – similarly to

In this week’s blog, I thought I would address the issues of working and caring from the employers and Human Resources perspective. My families are often trying to juggle working and caring with little support from their employer and as the research shows, many give up the struggle and give

Attendance Allowance is extra money that you can claim if you have a long-term disability or condition. You may be able to claim if you need help with personal support, or supervision to keep you safe. Personal support includes getting dressed, shopping, washing, eating, going to the toilet, getting in

Have you seen or heard the Lloyds Bank “The M-word” campaign? It was apparently created in response to research from Lloyds Bank that showed money is a bigger taboo in British families than politics, sex or religion. Well I would add “care” for elderly loved ones into that list of “taboo”

A personal budget is the amount of money your local council will pay towards any social care and support you need. The amount of money in your personal budget will be decided by your local council after a Care Needs and Financial Assessment to work out: What kind of care

Following on from my last two articles Always Read the Small Print – Part 1 Choosing a Care Home and Always Read the Small Print Part 2 Additional Information, Part 3 looks at the service level you should expect from your carers and what you can do if things go

Following on from my article last week (Always Read the Small Print – Part 1) Part 2 looks at more of the essential information you need and which any care provider should be happy to give you. This information should be easily available to you from the start either on