Appendix 1 - definition of terms

Adults who own their own homes may be eligible for a 12 week property disregard during their first 12 weeks in permanent care if:

• their capital or savings apart from the value of their own home are less than the upper capital limit (currently £23,250), and
• they don't qualify for an ongoing property disregard, for example if their partner or certain other relatives share their home with them and will continue to live there when the adult moves into care

The council does not count the value of the adult's home in their financial assessment during the disregard period. The means that during the first 12 weeks in permanent care:

• the adults pays a share of their care costs - as determined by their financial assessment, and
• the council funds the balance

The period gives the adult time to consider what they wish to do with their house, for example sell it, rent it out, apply for a deferred payment agreement. When the period ends, the adult becomes responsible for the full cost of their care.

People whose capital is worth more than the upper capital limit (currently £23,250) have to pay the full cost of their care until their capital drops below this level.

The council will contribute towards the cost of meeting eligible needs when the adult's capital falls below £23,250. This is known as capital drop.

Care homes provide accommodation and personal care, for example support with washing, dressing or moving around.

Some homes can provide nursing care as well as personal care because they employ registered nurses. The term care home does not include NHS hospitals, private hospitals and clinics.

Care homes are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) who are responsible for regulating care and support in England.

A deferred payment agreement is a secured loan from the council to help homeowners with limited capital (i.e. less than £23,250 apart from their home) pay for their care home costs. The council must be able to secure the loan against the person's home.

Conditions apply - please see the Adult Social Care Deferred payments agreement policy for more information.

The financial assessment is the means test used by local authorities in England to determine how much an adult can afford to pay for their care.

A personal budget is the amount agreed by the council as sufficient to meet an adult's eligible needs and take into account their reasonable preferences about how they wish their needs to be met when the council is contributing towards the cost of care.

Means tested charges apply to care in a care home, shared lives scheme and supported living accommodation arranged by the council. We will ask the adult to have a financial assessment to determine how much they will have to pay towards their personal budget (the total cost of their care). The council will fund any remaining balance.

Shared Lives Schemes are an alternative to care in a care home or other more formal care arrangements.

Schemes offer people who need care the opportunity to live in a family environment rather than a formal care setting.

Schemes are regulated by Care Quality Commission (CQC).

For more information about Shared Lives in Gloucestershire, please see the Shared Lives | Gloucestershire County Council and the Councils Shared Lives Policy.

Supported living accommodation is accommodation other than in a care home:

• in premises which are specifically designed or adapted for occupation by adults with needs for care and support to enable them to live as independently as possible, or
• which is provided in premises intended for occupation by adults with needs for care and support where personal care is available if required (but not premises which the adult owns or occupies other than as a tenant or licensee)

The personal care elements of services delivered in supported living accommodation are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).