Changes in the Care Act – which became law in May – recently revealed that from April 2016 it will be possible for pensioners to save £10,000 when applying for a place in a UK care home.
The new rules mean if you are retired and want to move into a care home, but have the money in savings, you will be asked to pay up to £35,000 a year for your place.
However, due to a loophole in the Care Act, local authorities buying places from providers will have to pay only £25,000 so if pensioners wanted a place they could save £10,000 by asking the council to arrange it and pay through them.
Even when taking this saving into consideration, pensioners will still be required to part with £25,000 if they have any savings. But depending on the level of care required, another potential and much more affordable option could be investing in a home lift.
This is a solution that means pensioners can keep their independence and remain in the homes they love. It is also most likely that they would have lived in their house for many years whereby a move to a care home could cause huge upheaval.
The comparable cost of a Stiltz domestic lift to a care home is much more appealing when you consider the Stiltz Duo Lift starts at £9,999 (plus VAT). If you add the cost to install the lift – which depending on the application can be between £1,000 and £2,000 – a home lift could save you around £14,000.
The cost of a home lift is also a one-one off purchase – with only service and maintenance costs recommended once a year – while a nursing home will cost £25,000 per year even if you do ask your local authority to buy the place on your behalf. The actual long-term saving of buying a domestic lift is, therefore, much more.
The Stiltz Lift is discreet and sleek, quick and easy to install and can carry two people up to one floor in less than 30 seconds. More and more people with mobility issues are opting for domestic lifts as an alternative to stairlifts because they are more attractive, convenient and very safe.
But more importantly when compared to a care home a home lift gives users the freedom to move around the upstairs and downstairs of their house at their own will which means they can stay in the comfort of their family home.