Thousands of elderly people across the UK are eligible to claim back care home fees which they shouldn’t have paid out.
If a person has a serious, long-term health condition they could qualify for the NHS Continuing Healthcare scheme and essentially this means the government funds the full cost of care including accommodation and nursing costs if you live in a care home.
The Department of Health’s official definitions of continuing care and of NHS Continuing Healthcare state: ‘”Continuing care” means care provided over an extended period of time to a person aged 18 or over to meet physical or mental health needs that have arisen as the result of disability, accident or illness. “NHS Continuing Healthcare” means a package of continuing care arranged and funded solely by the NHS.’
But a blunder has resulted in many elderly selling their own homes to pay for their care fees which they should have received for free. It has been estimated that around 10,000 pensioners have sold their properties to put the finances towards their nursing home bills.
People who have suffered over a long period after an accident, illness or disability are supposed to have their care and funding looked after by the NHS. But mistakes made by the health service meant that pensioners who did meet the criteria were denied free care.
An investigation by the BBC found that it has been a nationwide problem and 1,000 people every week were putting their properties on the market to fund care home fees.
Now many of these citizens can win back the cash by appealing and submitting a claim.
The Department of Health announced in March that people disputing fees paid between 1st April 2004 and 31st March 2011 have until 30th September to submit a claim. Those who wish to make a claim for care home fees paid between 1st April 2011 and 31st March 2012 have until 31st March 2013 to register an appeal.
Despite tens of thousands of residents being unfairly charged, to date only 5,750 people have made a claim for compensation. Elderly can reclaim any wrongly paid care fees, have nursing home fees refunded and avoid paying care home fees altogether with specialist help.
This article was written by Cheselden, the leading continuing care review specialists. They work tirelessly to review cases across the country and they have won hundreds of successful care home claims.