Social services can provide care following a brain injury, but the amount of support and funding a patient receives depends on their care needs and how much money they have to contribute to the cost of care.
In this article, we will look at the different types of social care available and what costs are involved.
What is social care?
Social care is there to provide support for people who need help as a result of illness, disability, old age, or poverty. There is a wide range of services included in social care, such as social work, personal care, protection, and social support.
Social services’ support can help people with disabilities live a more independent and fulfilling life. It can include helping people with washing and dressing, getting in and out of bed, taking medication and helping with housework.
Local governments are mainly responsible for funding social care, and can provide:
- Information and advice to people in need
- Assessments of individuals’ needs and finances
- Short-term support and reablement to help people live independently and improve their wellbeing
- Monitoring and funding for care provided by a wide range of organisations (for example, external care companies)
In England, GP-led Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning secondary healthcare services (including care companies), while local authorities fund social services.
What type of social care is available?
Your local authority might be able to help with social care fees, based on the government’s current care funding rules. If your loved one’s financial assets (including any property they own if they’re moving into residential care, as well as their savings and investments) amount to less than £23,250, they may be eligible for social care.
This financial assessment should only consider your loved one’s individual finances, and should not include those of their partner. Even if they have a small amount of savings or assets (under £23,250), they may still have to pay for some or all of their care. To be eligible for social care, as well as finances, the person’s needs also have to fall within certain criteria.
Who provides social care?
There are lots of organisations who provide social care in the UK. These are mainly made up of social workers, occupational therapists, nurses, managers, supervisors and care workers. Care workers include those working for home care agencies, and in residential or nursing homes too.
Care workers provide various types of support to people at home, including helping to cook meals, washing, cleaning, and providing personal care and company to your loved one. Your family member’s social worker can also help with benefits and finances (including applications for universal credits and housing benefits).
Social services can also provide assessments for residential or nursing care when the services being offered at home are not enough to cover the person’s needs.
They will also help with accessing community care services (such as community transport, day care, and district nursing), as well as assessment for respite care if you are looking after your loved one.
Social care works alongside a number of other organisations, including the NHS and housing authorities, to help people live independently in their own homes.
Other support and charities
There are also a number of charities and organisations that can provide brain injury support. These include:
- Headway: Headway is a charity that works to improve life after brain injury and has a network of more than 125 groups and branches across the UK. It provides support, services and information to brain injury survivors, their families and carers, as well as to professionals in the health and legal fields.
- BASIC: The Brain and Spinal Injury Centre (BASIC) aims to help patients access high-quality rehabilitation programmes.
- Brain Injury Group: This charity provides support and quality information to people affected by brain and spine conditions, to reduce anxiety and help inform their choices.
- Citizens Advice: Providing free, confidential advice and information in many areas, Citizens Advice can help with various enquiries, including finances, work, housing and family.
How a specialist brain injury solicitor can help
If your loved one has suffered a brain injury, you can feel isolated, confused and unsure of what to do next. But you’re not alone.
Getting the right support doesn’t just come through the NHS and social services. A good solicitor can also provide you with all the guidance and financial support you need on your loved one's journey to recovery. This is not just about legal advice, but providing help to fund and gain access to better treatment and the specialist care your family member deserves.
At CFG Law, we understand how stressful a brain injury can be for the person and their family, and the huge impact it can have on everybody involved.
As part of our support services, we provide an emergency fund for eligible clients that can be used to pay for care, travel expenses for hospital visits, rehabilitation, counselling, purchasing specialist equipment, and help with other immediate financial needs.
CFG
