Paying for residential care

Spending your savings

If you spend money on expensive items, we need to consider whether you may have done this on purpose to reduce what you need to pay for your care and support.

This means we may still include what you have spent in your financial assessment as if you still had it.

This doesn't mean you cannot spend some of your savings, whether it be on items for your own enjoyment or on gifts for others.

Reasonable spending is okay, but if you intend to pay for something expensive or give away a sum of money, we advise that you check with us first to see how this might affect what you pay for your care and support.

You should also keep receipts or records for any large sums you spend or transfer to others, in case we ask you about them later.

Giving money or property to family or friends

If you give money or property to someone else, we need to consider whether you may have done this on purpose to reduce what you need to pay for your care and support.

For example, giving a large sum of money or ownership of your home to someone else when you are unwell and might expect to need to move into a care home in the future.

In this situation, we may decide that you made this decision so that you wouldn't need to use your savings and investments to pay for your care.

If this happens, we may still include what you have spent or given away in your financial assessment as if you still had it.

This could be the case if you give away savings or investments before or after you move into a home.