12-week property disregard

How it works

Your home's value can be disregarded for up to 12-weeks from when your care starts, or from when Kirklees Council takes over responsibility of paying your fees. This may mean you do not have to pay the full cost of your care for the 12-week period if the value of your other assets is below £23,250. This doesn't apply to second homes.

The value of your home will not be considered:

• if the property is lived in by a spouse, partner, a relative who is over 60, a relative who is incapacitated or a child under 16 who you are responsible for supporting.
• if we agree that the property should be disregarded because a long term carer lives there.

Care is not free during the 12-week period, your other income will be taken into account in working out your weekly care contribution. If the care home charges more than the cost that Kirklees Council would pay, you will need to pay the remainder during this period.

At the end of the 12-week period, or when you sell your property if this is sooner, the value will no longer continue to be disregarded, and it is likely that you will need to pay the full costs of your care until your capital drops below the funding threshold. Kirklees Council care contract with home will also cease at this point and you will need to make your own private arrangements for paying your care fees.

Applying for a disregard

If you qualify for the 12-week property disregard this should normally be identified during the financial assessment. If you think you qualify and have not been contacted please get in touch with the Client Financial Affairs.

The 12-week period gives you time to make decisions about your future care and we strongly recommend that you get independent legal and financial advice to help you plan for the future.

Contact Client Financial Affairs