Hi, my name is Angi1948! I believe they are trying to charge my daughter wrongly.

Angi1948

Hello, My daughter is 49 years old and in 2022 she suffered meningitis, encephalitis and bilateral strokes and was left brain damaged with very little mobility, after 5 months in hospital she came home and had carers. The beginning of 2024 she had a relapse and suffered rigidity and spasticity cannot stand or walk or sit unaided and a lot of other things also, and has very complex health needs and has now had to go into a nursing home permanenty, and obviously can never work again, we claimed for her in 2023 the benefit ESA and she is in the highest group, ESA contribution based support group which I know is non means tested and does not count as income, however East sussex county council Social services are counting it as income and say she has to pay a clients contribution to the nursing home, she also receives a small works pension which is well under £85 week I believe they are trying to charge my daughter wrongly as I know I am right about not being counted as income Please have you any thoughts and or advise on this because I am with her husband about to challenge social services on this payment they are asking for after doing an assessment last April through DWP.

Bluebell21

Hi @Angi1948 Welcome to the Community. I am not able to answer your questions, but I have answered so that your thread will go back to the first page.

I hope another member can help with your questions.

Take care.

Kimmy87

Hi Angi, I'm glad you are going to challenge the charge, a local welfare rights organisation might be able to advise you, you can find help via this link:

https://advicelocal.uk/welfare-benefits

If her needs are more medical than social support (washing, dressing etc) Continuing Health Care funding might be a possibility, although I understand the bar for being eligible is quite high:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/money-work-and-benefits/nhs-continuing-healthcare/

Angi1948

Thank you so much for the replies I will try what is suggested with Advicelocal and yes her needs are very high and complex and we are going to apply for the NHS continuing healthcare with full nursing and a checklist was done in hospital but they would not accept it as it was done in a hospital setting !! However my daughter did score high but the problem is it can take a quite a while for it to go through all the procedures and the social services and nursing home want payment that is why I am going to challange it being taken from my daughters non means tested benefit.