If a person’s medical condition is unpredictable and/or unstable and they need constant 24 hour acute or specialist nursing care, they may be entitled to NHS Continuing Healthcare. NHS Continuing Healthcare will cover all the costs of your care, including accommodation if you need to be in a care or nursing home. The eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare is based on the individual having a “Primary Health Need”. In order to determine whether an individual has a primary health need, a detailed assessment and decision-making process must be followed, as set out in the National Framework. Where an individual has a primary health need and is therefore eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, the NHS is responsible for commissioning a care package that meets the individual’s health and associated social care needs. A primary health need is not about the reason why someone requires care or support, nor is it based on a diagnosis; it is about the level and type of actual day-to-day care required and it is the nature and intensity of these needs that must be considered when determining eligibility for NHS CHC. The first step is the completion of a Checklist. The Checklist is a screening tool and the first stage of the NHS CHC funding assessment process. It is intended to be relatively quick and straightforward, so it is not necessary to provide detailed evidence along with the completed Checklist. A positive outcome in the Checklist does not mean the individual is automatically eligible for NHS CHC funding; it simply means that they progress to stage two. Stage two involves a multidisciplinary team (MDT) and the use of the Decision Support Tool (DST). This stage is often known as the ‘full assessment’ and it is much more involved.

Well only sometimes. Firstly, if you don’t already, you’ll need to understand the difference between ‘social’ and ‘health’ care. Social care is best described as care needed to help with activities of daily living (washing, eating, mobility etc). It is the responsibility of your local authority who will assess the needs you have, and they will also assess how much you are able to pay towards the care you need. If someone in need of social care owns a house or has much in the way of savings, the chances are they’ll have to pay for all or at least some of their social care. On the other hand, health care is where your needs are of a medical nature, and this is the responsibility of the NHS. So, if your need is for health care, this is currently free at the point of need.

Kirsten attained her Later Life Adviser Accreditation (LLAA) in 2011, having proven her professional commitment to the area of Later Life advice.

Corporate Chartered status is awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute – the professional body for insurance and personal finance, to firms that have made a public commitment to aligned ethics and values, to providing knowledgeable advice backed up by qualifications and continued professional development, and to seeking good customer outcomes.

Consider these two scenarios: Mark spends lots of money on trips and entertainment. His father was a workaholic who never took time to really enjoy what he had earned. Nancy never feels she saves enough, despite the fact she is a millionaire. She grew up in a large family that constantly struggled to make ends meet; at one point the family was homeless. Both examples illustrate the impact your individual backstory can have on how you think about money and investing. These stories are an essential part of your Financial Philosophy. Have you ever thought about how and why you make money decisions as you do? Before talking about strategies, tactics, allocations, and categories, it is essential that we both understand how you think about investing and money matters. Every decision we make involves both money and values. Financial Philosophy is understanding the connection between the two and using that connection to make the right decisions when it comes to investing. Understanding your own Financial Philosophy begins with answering a series of questions designed to help you develop a plan that works for your unique set of values and circumstances: Debt: How much debt do you have? Are you comfortable with that level of debt? Savings: How much savings do you have? Are you comfortable with your level of savings? Spending: What is your level of spending? Are you comfortable with your level of spending? Giving: What is your level of charitable contributions? Are you comfortable with your level of charitable contributions? Stock Market: Does investing in the stock market make you nervous? Are you comfortable with your level of investment in the stock market? Insurance: How do you feel about insurance? Are you comfortable with your level of coverage? Children: What is your attitude regarding supporting your children? Do you expect them to earn their own way, or do you want to give them every advantage? Somewhere in between? Are you comfortable with what you can provide them? Retirement: When do you plan to retire? As soon as possible? Never? Somewhere in between? Are you comfortable with your current retirement plan? Answering these questions completely and honestly will help us ensure that your plan supports your values.