One of the most common concerns I encounter when talking to clients, is the difficulty families find in permitting themselves to spend a loved one’s money to seek legal help.
They know the struggle of the process, they know that care fees are overwhelming and expensive, they know that an average £50k per year on care is draining the savings pot and means for some, the family home will have to be sold, yet they still come, pained with guilt of spending money that is not their own.
My response has, and always will, be the same.
At the time you seek help with an NHS Continuing Healthcare application, I am certain it will be one of the most difficult periods within the life of your family. I am also sure that wading through the framework and reading vast text without knowledge of the subject matter, without experience of the process, or what constitutes a robust process must seem overwhelming and at times insurmountable.
Rest assured, to invest in specialist, expert support and advice could be seen as fulfilling responsibilities as an Attorney to seek state funding to pay for care. Guilt in this circumstance is not warranted. If you are in any doubt, you can always make contact with The Office of the Public Guardian for further guidance, reassurance and assistance.
It is worthy of note that in my collaborative work with other law firms, I advise Professional Deputies and Professional Attorneys in meeting their duty to seek state funding to pay for care and their need to secure it first and foremost. Professionals invest in specialist help to maximise their chances of securing funding or challenging ineligibility decisions where there are grounds to do so.
Professionals at law have a higher duty of care to their clients and the vulnerable than the man on the street. They are bound by professional responsibilities that must be fulfilled and they regularly seek my expert advice and guidance in these matters. They are also confident in using the funds they are instructed to look after to pay for specialist help and advice to improve their chances of seeking state funding where their clients may be eligible.
So I say to you, give yourself permission to seek specialist help. Maximise your chances, continue to act in your loved one’s best interests, take the pressure off and most of all, give your family the gift of your time, in the moment you are all too aware of it’s finite and precious nature.
Call 0191 5561078 for a chat or email on [email protected] and see how we can help support you and your loved one.