b'your financial options if you will be paying for your ownor to make decisions on your behalf when you can no care. There may be a number of financial solutions tolonger make them for yourself. If you want to appoint help you to keep your investments and savings whilean LPA, you will need to show that you have the mental paying for your care. capacity to do this. If thats not possible, the court of It is important to plan for your long-term care to makeprotection will need to be involved in the process.sure that you consider all your options, invest yourThere are two types of LPA:savings and any money from selling your property (if#one for property and financial affairs; andthis applies) wisely, and protect any remaining money#one for health and welfare.you have. If you are considering a residential or nursing home for yourself, or an older relative, it is in everyonesYou can choose to appoint one type or both. There are best interests to get independent financial advicetwo separate applications, and you pay two separate before making important life-changing decisions. fees. You need to register the LPA with the Office of the Public Guardian before it can be used. Or the How Carewise can help attorney can register the LPA for you. You will be told Carewise is an important part of the Adults Servicesif this happens so you will have a chance to object information and advice service. We set it up, workingto it. Unless you choose to instruct a solicitor to draft with Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and Hove,the application documents for you, there is no cost the Society of Later Life Advisers (a not-for-profitto set up an LPA until you ask the Office of the Public consumer organisation) and West Sussex Partners inGuardian to register it. If you are on a low income, you Care, to help people make well-informed choices whenmay get the registration fee reduced. It can take at planning long-term care for themselves or a relative. least 10 weeks to register an LPA.Carewise has a panel of care fees specialists who areResidential carelocal-authority fundingqualified independent financial advisers specialising inIf our assessment has shown that you need care in providing advice about choosing and paying for long-a care home, you may be eligible for financial help term care. The advisers: towards the cost of your care. We will work out the #are accredited by the Society of Later Life Advisers; amount you will be expected to contribute towards the #are approved under the Trading Standards Buy withcost of your care according to a national set of rules.Confidence scheme; This involves looking at your income, including most #have a Disclosure and Barring Service check; and benefits and pensions, your savings and investments, #have received training on safeguarding adults at riskand the value of any property you own.of neglect or abuse. Generally, most of your income will go towards the The Carewise-approved care fees specialists arecost of your care. For every 250 (or part of 250) of independent of us and other Carewise partners. Theinvestments and savings you have between 14,250 first consultation with a Carewise care fees specialistand 23,250, you will have to pay 1 towards the is free. The care fees specialist will be clear with youcost of your care. If you have property, savings and about the cost of any future advice. investments of more than 23,250, we will expect you Carewise also provides access to information andto pay the full cost of your care until the value of your advice about care and support options through Age UKsavings and investments reduces to 23,250.West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, who offer a telephoneOnce we have agreed how much you must contribute and face-to-face service. It also provides a free moneyto the cost of your care, we will make up the difference advice service, which offers independent, confidentialbetween your contribution and the care homes fees as and jargon-free information on all matters relating tolong as the home does not charge more than we would personal finance. expect to pay for similar accommodation.Age UK West Sussex, Brighton and HoveIf the value of your property is included in the Phone: 0800 019 1310, lines are open Monday toassessment for your contribution, we can help with the Friday, 10am to 2pm cost of the care homes fees if you agree to enter into Email: info@ageukwsbh.org.uka deferred payment agreement. Under a deferred Website: ageuk.org.uk/westsussexbrightonhove payment agreement, any care home fees are usually paid back by selling your home and using the money Who makes decisions if you cant? to repay what is owed (the deferred payment). You No one else can make decisions about your financialcan choose to sell your home and pay off the deferred affairs, health and welfare unless you have given thempayment at any time. Or you can keep your home authority to make those decisions on your behalf. Theduring your lifetime and the deferred payment will be easiest and quickest way to make these arrangementspaid out of your estate after your death.is through a lasting power of attorney (LPA). This isWe will charge interest on the deferred payment in line a legal document that lets you appoint one or morewith the national interest rate that local authorities people, known as attorneys, to help you make decisionscan charge. There is also a one-off administration 22Living well in your community 2023/24'