Care Home Planning Solicitors

With many people living into older age, families are increasingly worrying about how they will pay for care homes, whether for their own care or for their parents.

At Rothera Bray we can advise and guide you through care home planning and the various options available.

It can be a complex question to navigate as the funding available will be affected by a number of factors such as savings and property ownership, as well as whether the care needed is for a ‘primary health need’ rather than social care (support with daily living activities such as cooking or getting dressed).

 

Can I get state support for care home fees?

The NHS might be able to contribute to your care home fees, but only if you are very ill.

Your local authority might also contribute but might do a financial assessment and if you own more than £23,500, they might not make a contribution.

As a result, it is vital to ensure your finances and assets are set out in a certain way to take advantage of any state support available.

 

I own my home as a joint tenant with my partner-will this affect whether I can get support for care home fees?

If you own your home as joint tenants, then you own equal shares in the property which automatically passes on to the survivor when you die.

However, if the survivor then needs to go into care the local authority might count the value of the whole property towards their assets in a financial assessment to see if the survivor can pay their own care home fees or whether the local authority should contribute.

By owning the property as tenants in common instead, each spouse will have their own share of the property but can make wills to say that the first to die puts their share in a trust for their children but allows the survivor to remain living in the property for as long as they need to.

Consequently, if the survivor has to go into care only their share of the property is taken into account by the local authority and the value of half of the property is safeguarded for the children.

 

What happens if I don’t plan for care home fees?

You will most likely have to pay for most or all of your care home fees which could involve having to sell your home, being unable to leave an inheritance for loved ones and being unable to take advantage of state support.

 

Can I give away my assets to avoid paying care home fees?

Yes, but this can be risky. If your local authority thinks that you have done this, then they could assess you as if you still own the assets – known as “deliberate deprivation of assets”.

Also, if your local authority has been paying your care home fees and later finds out that you have been gifting assets to avoid paying care home fees yourself, you could be made to pay back the fees in one lump sum through the local authority enforcing powers of recovery.

 

Are there any assets that are exempt from care home fees?

There are some products and belongings that might not be included under your assets, including personal belongings unless they were purchased with the intention of reducing capital in the assessment; the capital value of a life interest in land or trust fund; and certain financial products such as life insurance policies.

 

Why use Rothera Bray for care home planning?

Our specialist team will take the time to understand your personal circumstances to help you and your family understand how your particular needs will be met, when you will have fund care yourself, and when it will be covered by the Local Authority.

We will talk you through the options and help you decide what type of care is needed and who you need to contact to arrange a place in the right type of care home. We can also help families arranging residential care for parents or other relatives.

Your pension and other income will be used as a contribution towards fees if you need to move into a care home. If your income doesn’t cover the full cost, your home and other capital would then potentially need to be used.

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Rothera Bray's Private Client Partner Jeremy Allen

Jeremy Allen

Partner & Head of Trusts and Court of Protection

Jeremy Allen is a Wills, Probate and Trusts specialist at Rothera Bray Solicitors and is based at our Lace Market offices in the heart of Nottingham City Centre.

Rothera Bray's Private Client Partner Russell Dalby

Russell Dalby

Partner

Russell is a Partner based at our Market Harborough office and specialises in all areas of Private Client work. He predominantly deals with probate administration and estate planning work – such as advising on Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Inheritance Tax planning.

Ann Farnill, Senior Asspciate in our Wills and Probate department

Ann Farnill

Partner

Ann Farnill is a Partner in Rothera Bray’s Wills, Probate and Trusts department and is based at our Mapperley office. She specialises in Wills, Inheritance Tax planning, Powers of Attorney including acting for lay attorneys, Estate planning and administration.

Nelissa Hicks, Partner in Rothera Bray's Wills and Probate department

Nelissa Hicks

Partner

Nelissa is Partner at Rothera Bray with a demonstrated history of working in the legal services industry. Nelissa has over 20 years’ experience as a Wills, Probate, Tax and Trusts solicitor and is based at our Loughborough office. She is skilled in Inheritance Tax Planning and the Administration of Trusts and Estates.

Martin Witherspoon

Martin Witherspoon

Partner

Martin provides advice and assistance with regard to Wills, Powers of Attorney and administration of estates at our West Bridgford Office.

Kirsten Wood, Partner and Head of Private Client at Rothera Bray

Kirsten Wood

Partner & Head of Wills and Probate

Kirsten Wood leads the firm’s Wills and Probate department and is a partner with over 18 years’ experience specialising in will drafting, tax, trusts, estate administration and lasting powers of attorney.

Melissa Merry, Consultant in our Wills and Probate department

Melissa Merry

Consultant

Melissa Merry is a Consultant in our Wills and Probate department, with over 30 years of experience in private client work. Melissa is based at our Derby city centre branch.

Eleanor Robinson, Senior Associate Solicitor in our Wills and Probate department

Eleanor Robinson

Managing Associate

Eleanor Robinson is a Wills, Probate and Trusts specialist at and is based at our West Bridgford and Loughborough offices.

Sarah Soo, Private Client Managing Associate at Rothera Bray

Sarah Soo

Managing Associate

Sarah Soo is a Wills and Probate specialist at Rothera Bray Solicitors and has specialised in private client work since she began her career. Sarah is currently based at both our Beeston and Nottingham offices.

James Briggs is a,Senior Associate Solicitor in the Wills and Probate department at Rothera Bray Solicitors in Nottingham

James Briggs

Senior Associate Solicitor

James Briggs is a senior associate and private client solicitor at our Lace Market, Nottingham office.

Amelia Carruthers is a Senior Associate at Rothera Bray Derby.

Amelia Carruthers

Senior Associate Solicitor

Amelia Carruthers is a Senior Associate at Rothera Bray’s Derby office and is experienced in drafting wills, lasting powers of attorney, administering estates and providing tax advice and planning.

Sandra Garvey

Sandra Garvey

Senior Associate

Sandra is a Senior Associate in our Wills & Probate department based at our Market Harborough office and has over 35 years in experience in dealing in all areas of Wills & Probate.

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Julie Graham

Senior Associate Solicitor

Julie is a Senior Associate Solicitor in our Wills and Probate department and is based at our West Bridgford Office.

Carly Harwood, Senior Associate Solicitor in Rothera Bray's Wills and Probate team

Carly Harwood

Senior Associate Solicitor

Carly Harwood is a Senior Associate Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Derby office.

Amy Goodwin, Associate Solicitor from Rothera Bray Derby

Amy Goodwin

Associate Solicitor

Amy Goodwin is an Associate in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate team and is based at our Derby office.

Sam Hardy, Associate in Rothera Bray's Wills, Probate and Trusts department

Sam Hardy

Associate

Sam is an Associate in Rothera Bray’s Wills, Probate and Trusts department, specialising in trusts and estates administration. He is based at our Market Harborough office.

Rebecca Lee

Rebecca Lee

Associate Solicitor

Rebecca is an Associate Solicitor in our Wills & Probate team based at our Leicester office.

Jasmin Marshall

Jasmin Marshall

Associate Solicitor

Jasmin Marshall is an Associate Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Mapperley office.

Sarah Singh, a Wills and Probate solicitor, is based at our West Bridgford office.

Sarah Singh

Associate Solicitor

Sarah Singh is an Associate solicitor within Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate Department and is based at the firm’s West Bridgford office.

Rothera Bray's Private Client Executive Libby Birt

Libby Birt

Solicitor

Libby Birt is a Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Loughborough office.

Toby Byford

Toby Byford

Solicitor

Toby is a Solicitor in our Wills and Probate department and is based at our Lace Market office.

Talita Fantauzzi, Private Client Solicitor at Rothera Bray

Talita Fantauzzi

Solicitor

Talita Fantauzzi is a Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Nottingham office.

Lacey Glover

Lacey Glover

Private Client Executive

Lacey Glover is a Private Client Executive in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department. She is based at our Beeston office but can visit clients across the East Midlands.

Ed Granger

Ed Granger

Solicitor

Ed is a solicitor in the firm’s specialist trusts team. He is based at our Lace Market office.

Rebecca Holmes

Rebecca Holmes

Legal Executive

Rebecca is a Legal Executive in our Wills & Probate team. She is based at our Lace Market office.

Ria Makwana, Wills and Probate Solicitor at Rothera Bray

Ria Makwana

Solicitor

Ria Makwana is a Private Client Solicitor specialising in Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning and Administration, and is based at our Loughborough office.

Sallie Poultney

Sallie Poultney

Private Client Executive

Sallie is a Private Client Executive in the Private Client Department at our Market Harborough office. She advises clients on a range of private client services including Wills, Probate and Lasting Powers of Attorney.

Alison Richardson

Alison Richardson

Legal Executive

Alison Richardson is a member of the wills, trust & probate team based at our Mapperley branch.

Rebekah Royles

Rebekah Royles

Legal Executive

Rebekah Royles is a Legal Executive in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our office in Mapperley, Nottingham.

Amanda White, Private Client Executive in our Leicester Wills and Probate team

Amanda White

Private Client Executive

Amanda is a Private Client Executive in the Wills and Probate department at our Leicester office. She advises clients on a range of private client services and has been handling her own caseload since 2014.

Laura WIndsor, Chartered Legal Executive

Laura Windsor

Chartered Legal Executive

Laura Windsor is a Chartered Legal Executive in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Beeston office.

Jack Cooper, Senior Wills and Probate Paralegal. based at Rothera Bray Loughborough

Jack Cooper

Senior Paralegal

Jack Cooper is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based in Loughborough, Leicestershire.

Anna Guy

Anna Guy

Senior Paralegal

Anna Guy has over 10 years’ experience of working in law firms, and 7 years’ experience of dealing with Wills and Probate matters.

Rochelle Hutton

Rochelle Hutton

Senior Paralegal

Rochelle works in the private client team at the Market Harborough office, having joined the firm in November 2024.

Hollie Moore

Hollie Moore

Senior Paralegal

Hollie Moore is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Mapperley office.

Sarah Simpson

Sarah Simpson

Senior Paralegal

Sarah is a Senior Paralegal in our Wills & Probate department based at Market Harborough office.

Rothera Bray's Private Client Senior Paralegal Lisa Warren

Lisa Warren

Senior Paralegal

Lisa Warren is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate team and is based in Derby.

Beth Ashton

Beth Ashton

Paralegal

Beth Ashton is a Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Derby Office.

Morgan Bramley

Morgan Bramley

Paralegal

Morgan is a Paralegal in our Private Client department and is based at the West Bridgford office.

Brett James. Paralegal in Rothera Bray's Private Client Department

Brett James

Paralegal

Brett James is a Wills and Probate Paralegal at Rothera Bray Solicitors and is based at our Lace Market, Nottingham office.

Michelle Kingston

Michelle Kingston

Paralegal

Michelle Kingston is a Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Lace Market, Nottingham branch.

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Kathryn Lane

Paralegal

Kathryn Lane is a Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Loughborough office.  

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Elaine Langley

Paralegal

Elaine is a Paralegal in the Wills and Probate department based at the West Bridgford office

Jordan McBallantine

Jordan McBallantine

Paralegal

Jordan McBallantine is a paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Mapperley office.

Morgan McGahan

Morgan McGahan

Paralegal

Morgan is a Paralegal in our Wills and Probate department and is based at our West Bridgford office.

Janet Prentice

Janet Prentice

Paralegal

Janet Prentice is a Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills, Probate and Trusts department and is based at our Lace Market office in the heart of Nottingham city centre.

Jessica Redden

Jessica Redden

Paralegal

Jessica Redden is a Paralegal in our Wills & Probate department and is based at our Beeston office.

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Gill Subbarao

Paralegal

Gill Subbarao is a Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Wills and Probate department and is based at our Mapperley office.

Georgia Weller

Georgia Weller

Paralegal

Georgia is a Paralegal in our Wills and Probate team. She is based at our Market Harborough office.

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