Paying for care and support at home

Transcription

1 Paying for care and support at home Age Scotland Information and Advice Factsheet 46s February of 28 46s

2 Factsheet 46s February of 28

3 Inside this factsheet 1 Paying for care at home 4 2 Council charges Services which should be free Services that are not free Charges and disability-related benefits Disability-related expenses Savings and capital, and maximum charges Charges for respite care Information and reviews 10 3 Payments from the council Your options under Self-Directed Support How can Self-Directed Support help me? Who can receive Self-Directed Support? How is Self-Directed Support charged for? Arranging your own services Further help and support Self-Directed Support and carers 17 4 Complaining about a decision 17 5 Welfare benefits 18 6 Other help 19 7 Sources of help and advice 19 8 Further Information 22 Factsheet 46s February of 28

4 6 Paying for care at home If you think that you may need support to live safely and comfortably at home you should ask your Council s Social Work department to carry out a needs assessment. The Social Work department has a duty to assess your needs if you appear to be in need of community care services. If they agree that you need support or care they should arrange services to meet your assessed and agreed needs. All Councils and NHS Health Boards in Scotland have Single Shared Assessments (SSA) where they share information so you do not have to give your basic details more than once. A single professional, such as a Social Worker, should be in charge of the assessment with specialist involvement from other professionals, such as an occupational therapist or nursing staff, if appropriate. Each Council produces its own assessment procedure which should tell you: who can be assessed; how the Council will decide what services you should receive how and where you can apply how long you might have to wait for an assessment which needs the Council will be able to meet how to make comments or complaints Once your care needs have been agreed, the council will look at the amount you can afford to pay towards your care from your income and savings. Any care you need which is classed as personal care should be free if you are aged 65 or over (see section 2.1 for more information). The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) gives guidance to councils about how they should work out charges, but councils can set their own rules for some costs, so the information in this factsheet can only be general. Charges vary for similar services in different parts of Scotland. The ways in which care is delivered can also vary as some Councils do not provide care themselves and contract out this work to agencies instead. If you want to know about the charging rules in your Council s area or how they deliver care services you can ask your council for information or look on their website. Factsheet 46s February of 28

5 7 Council charges 7.1 Services which should be free Personal care at home is free for people who are 65 and over. It is defined under the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002, we have included information from this legislation below: SOCIAL CARE NOT ORDINARILY CHARGED FOR As regards the personal hygiene of the person cared for shaving; cleaning teeth (whether or not they are artificial) by means of a brush or dental floss and (in the case of artificial teeth) by means of soaking; providing assistance in rinsing the mouth; keeping finger nails and toe nails trimmed; assisting the person with going to the toilet or with using a bedpan or other receptacle; where the person is fitted with a catheter or stoma, providing such assistance as is requisite to ensure cleanliness and that the skin is kept in a favorable hygienic condition; where the person is incontinent the consequential making of the person's bed and consequential changing and laundering of the person's bedding and clothing; and caring for the person's skin to ensure that it is not adversely affected As regards eating requirements, the preparation of, or the provision of any assistance with the preparation of, the person s food including (without prejudice to that generality) defrosting, washing, peeling, cutting, chopping, pureeing, mixing or combining, cooking, heating or re-heating, or otherwise preparing food or ingredients; cooking, heating or re-heating pre-prepared fresh or frozen food; portioning or serving food; cutting up, pureeing or otherwise processing food to assist with eating it; advising on food preparation; and assisting in the fulfilment of special dietary needs, Factsheet 46s February of 28

6 but not the supply of food (whether in the form of a pre-prepared meal or ingredients for a meal) to, or the obtaining of food for, the person, or the preparation of food prior to the point of supply to the person assisting in the fulfilment of special dietary needs, If the person is immobile or substantially immobile, dealing with the problems of that immobility. If the person requires medical treatment, assisting with medication, as for example by applying creams or lotions; administering eye drops; applying dressings in cases where this can be done without the physical involvement of a registered nurse or of a medical practitioner; assisting with the administration of oxygen as part of a course of therapy With regard to the person's general well-being assisting with getting dressed; assisting with surgical appliances, prosthesis and mechanical and manual equipment; assisting with getting up and with going to bed; the provision of devices to help memory and of safety devices; behaviour management and psychological support. If you think your council is not providing a service that is listed as personal care, you can challenge this decision (see section 6). COSLA guidance states that local authorities should not normally charge for community care services for people with mental health problems who are subject to supervision or community care orders and people who are terminally ill. The NHS automatically provides free nursing care for those living at home. Factsheet 46s February of 28

7 If the Council agrees that you need it, you may get four weeks free home care if you are aged 65 or over. Home care has a wider scope than personal care and can include for example help with shopping and housework following a stay in hospital. You don t have to have been in hospital for a long period of time to qualify. For example, if you have stayed overnight or after surgery as a day patient 7.2 Services that are not free Scottish Government guidance on charging varies according to the type of care that you need, and does not give specific examples of services that councils must provide or arrange. Personal care is free for people who are aged 65 or over but services which are not personal care such as domestic assistance can be charged for. 65. Domestic assistance includes tasks such as housework, shopping and cooking. The council will use its charging procedures to work out what it considers to be a 'reasonable' amount for you to pay for domestic assistance. You have the right to ask your council to reduce the amount you are being asked to pay, or waive it altogether if the amount is not reasonable for you but the council does not have to agree to your request. If you are looking yourself for someone to help with specific domestic tasks it is always best to find someone who is registered with the Care Inspectorate Tel: Website: You could also look for a service through Shared Care Scotland Tel: Website: The Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) provides local services in many areas such as a good neighbour service or meals on wheels. Tel: Call Silver Line Scotland on to talk through your options. Factsheet 46s February of 28

8 7.3 Charges and disability-related benefits Personal Independence Payment (PIP) has been available for new claimants in Scotland since the 10th June 2013 and will eventually replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people between 16 and 65. Attendance Allowance is the disability benefit for people whose disability starts when they are 65 or over. Councils cannot count the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance as income when working out what you have to pay. Some councils also ignore other income such as war pensions and industrial injuries disablement benefits. If the council does include your disability-related benefits as income when calculating your care costs, it should also take into account your disabilityrelated expenses such as additional costs of transport, and food and clothing provision. Call Silver Line Scotland on for more information. 7.4 Disability-related expenses Councils should consider any extra costs that you have because of your condition or disability, so you should explain these costs when you are being assessed. These costs could include things like; extra washing, or special washing powder and conditioner if you have sensitive skin community alarms any special diet special clothing or footwear (or extra wear and tear) additional bedding extra heating costs gardening and household maintenance (if it is a task that you would normally have done yourself) cleaning (if not part of your care plan) any care needs that your Social Work assessment does not include buying and maintaining disability related equipment any transport costs (to get to appointments and to keep up social contacts) Factsheet 46s February of 28

9 There may be other costs that will be accepted, but these are usually decided on an individual basis so you need to tell the Social Work department about any other disability related expenses to see if they can be taken into account. The income used for your assessment should be your income after deduction of your housing and council tax costs. Councils can also consider disregarding water and sewerage costs and household insurance premiums as well as other housing costs. 7.5 Savings and capital, and maximum charges COSLA guidance suggests that councils should ignore the first 10,000 of your savings. Where your savings are over 10,000, the council assumes that you have tariff income of 1 for each 500 above 10,000. For example this would mean that if you have 12,000 you would pay 4 tariff income. The value of your home is not counted as capital. If some of your savings have been earmarked for a specific item, you should explain this and ask for it to be ignored. COSLA also recommends that the incomes and capital of both partners in a couple are assessed as it considers that both benefit from domestic services provided to them. 7.6 Charges for respite care Periods of respite care (temporary care outside of the home) are arranged by the council in a number of ways and in a variety of settings. Charges depend on the type of care provided. Respite care, either at home or provided in a day centre, can be charged for, but respite care in hospital is free. If respite care is provided in a care home for less than 8 weeks the council can ask you to contribute towards the cost in one of two ways. They may apply the normal financial assessment to you straight away, or they can ask you to pay a reasonable amount for the first 8 weeks. If care is provided in a care home for more than eight weeks the council must carry out a formal financial assessment to establish the amount that you can afford to pay. Factsheet 46s February of 28

10 Depending on the length of time for each period of respite care in hospital, and how often these stays take place, entitlement to some welfare benefits may be affected. Call Silver Line Scotland for advice about this. 7.7 Information and reviews Once a decision about your care needs has been made you should be given clear information about your charges and how they are assessed. Charges should not be made until you have been told how much you will have to pay. You have the right to ask for a review of your charges if you think the charge is not reasonable. The council should inform you of your right to a review and you should also be given information about the complaints process. 8 Payments from the council Self-Directed Support Self-directed support enables you to have as much control as you want over how your support and care is provided. This includes how it is delivered and the use of the budget that the Council has assessed you for, based on the needs that you have. Councils have a duty to offer four options to people who have been assessed as needing a community care service. 8.1 Your options under Self-Directed Support Option 1 Take a direct payment. Under this route you will be required to manage your own budget and have full control over your support at home. The Council decides how much money you need and then you could use it to pay a care service directly or employ your own care staff. This option comes with the most responsibility but also provides you with the most control: for example, you may wish to choose who cares for you and self-directed support allows you to have this choice. Factsheet 46s February of 28

11 Option 2 Make your own choice and the Council arranges and manages your care. This option allows you to decide between different care and support providers and the Council then arranges this for you, along with the budget. This allows for more choice about care provision without the responsibility of managing the money involved. Option 3 Ask the Council to arrange and manage your care. After the Social Work team have completed their assessment, they would then arrange all your care and support. This involves the least responsibility out of the four options, but it also means that you have the least amount of choice about the management and delivery of your care. Option 4 Use a mixture of all the above options. Self-Directed Support is not for everyone and you do not have to take this on if you don t want to. Many people are happy with the service that has been arranged by their Council and feel comfortable receiving their care this way. However, others do find that they benefit from having this choice and are happy to take on the extra responsibilities that this may bring. 8.2 How can Self-Directed Support help me? You could use Self-Directed Support to make your own arrangements for your care at home; you may decide that you want to arrange different types of services than those the Council would provide, such as live-in paid carers often known as personal assistants (PAs). You can use your Self-Directed Support payments in any way you wish as long as they are properly used to meet your assessed needs. Although Social Work departments will set conditions to ensure that this happens, the aim of Self-Directed Support is to give people more choice and control over their care. Factsheet 46s February of 28

12 You might want to use your Self-Directed Support to help you go shopping instead of having it done for you, or to take a computer course to learn about computer skills in order to enable you to keep in touch with family or shop online. Other people have used the payment to do things that are important to them such as being taken regularly to the seaside, or to pay for transport to their place of worship. 8.3 Who can receive Self-Directed Support? Each Council has its own rules (eligibility criteria) to decide whether you are eligible to receive services. Information ab out local rules should be freely available to the public. In general, if you have been assessed as needing care or support at home by the Social Work department you should be offered the Self-Directed Support options. If you are aged 65 or over and receiving Free Personal and Nursing Care you can arrange to have the personal care element as Self-Directed Support. You might be able to continue to receive Self-Directed Support even if you can no longer manage your finances. Payments can be paid to someone who has Power of Attorney or Guardianship to act on your behalf. Most people who need help with managing Self-Directed Support are still able to make decisions about their own welfare and day-to-day life. Making a Self-Directed Support payment to an Attorney or Guardian, or allowing someone else to help with managing the payments, should not mean that you lose control over decisions you still have the ability to make those decisions. Councils must treat everyone equally. They must not discriminate between the different groups of people who request Self-Directed Support. If you are refused Self-Directed Support but believe that you should qualify, you can use the Council s Social Work complaints procedure. 8.4 How is Self-Directed Support charged for? After your care needs assessment, the Social Work department will consider whether you are expected to contribute towards the cost of your services and if so, how much your payment should be according to the Council s charging procedure. Factsheet 46s February of 28

13 You should be told about the amount of your payment and any changes to this as soon as possible. If you are aged 65 or over and you choose for your Self-Directed Support to be used to purchase free personal care you need at home, you should not be asked for a contribution by your Council. 8.5 Arranging your own services Arranging your own services could include: Employing your own personal assistants; Having a contract with an agency or someone who is self-employed; Buying your own equipment; Making sure provision is in place in the event of an emergency. You could buy services directly from your local Social Work department, another Social Work department or another care agency such as a charity or a private agency. You should not be left without the help you need. Services can be arranged by the Social Work department until you are able to put your own arrangements into place. Employing your own personal assistants This option gives you the greatest choice and control over your services, particularly if you need a lot of care. For some people, the thought of being an employer is worrying as it involves a lot of responsibilities. But many people have found it to be a successful way to arrange their services and, once systems have been set up, they find that they run smoothly. You may find that a local support scheme offers training or a payroll service which helps with the Tax and National Insurance aspects of being an employer. There is also a national HMRC New Employer s helpline: Tel (lo-call rate). There are a number of useful publications about employing your own personal assistants, such as those produced by the Scottish Personal Assistant Employer s Network (SPAEN). They cover such things as: drawing up job adverts and job descriptions making sure you have explained all the tasks you will want done Factsheet 46s February of 28

14 how best to advertise and questions to ask at interviews deciding how much to pay drawing up a contract so that both you, and the person you are employing making sure you are clear about the terms and conditions of the employment such as sick pay and holiday pay insurance that you will need the legal responsibilities you have as an employer You can contact SPAEN for advice at: Tel Website Making a contract with an agency You can use your Self-Directed Support to make a contract with an independent care agency. If you decide to use a care agency, your Council might be able to provide details of local agencies. When making your contract with an agency, think about the tasks you expect the staff to do and the way in which you would like them done. You should also check whether the price includes everything (including VAT or travel costs) and what you would need to pay if you have to cancel the service suddenly. You may want to approach several agencies before making a decision. The agreement you make with them should be written and signed by both of you. It should be as clear as possible to avoid any future misunderstandings. Most agencies will have standard contracts that you may be able to adapt to meet your needs. Factsheet 46s February of 28

15 Making a contract with someone who is self-employed You can use your Self-Directed Support to make a contract with a person who is self-employed. It is not always clear whether someone is self-employed or whether they could be considered to be employed by you. If you are making a contract with someone who is self-employed, it is advisable to ask them to produce proof (such as documentation from HM Revenue and Customs) to show that they are self-employed for tax purposes, also ask them about their training and insurance. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) produce a leaflet which explains the difference between being considered as employed or self-employed. Another option is to make your own agreement with someone who is selfemployed to deliver your care or support. For example this gives you the opportunity to employ someone you know already as part of a larger package of care. If you have any questions concerning employing someone, contact the Scottish Personal Assistance Employer s Network (SPAEN) for advice. Tel Website Buying equipment Self-Directed Support can be used to buy equipment or adaptations for your needs which would otherwise have been provided by the Social Work department. It is very important that you take advice to ensure that the equipment you are buying is safe, appropriate and cost effective. Assist UK runs 40 Disabled Living Centres across the UK which display a wide range of equipment, provide demonstrations and can give advice. Once you have bought the equipment, you will become the owner and will have responsibility for its care and maintenance. Check with the Council whether it will assist with maintenance costs. Factsheet 46s February of 28

16 Dealing with emergencies Whatever services you arrange, there may be times when the arrangements break down. Ideally you should plan back-up arrangements (such as arrangements with a care agency in case you need emergency cover). You could discuss these with the Social Work department so that they are included as part of your care plan. 8.6 Further help and support If you have been assessed as eligible for Self-Directed Support but need advice you could contact a council-funded service such as an Independent Living Service for help. They may be able to help with information and recruitment, employment and training of staff, payroll and keeping records of your spending. Contact your Council or Self-directed Support Scotland to see if there is a service in your area. Tel: Another option is to speak to an independent advocate. They may be able to help you weigh up your options, work alongside you to make sure you get the information you need or help you put your point across to others. Call the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) to find a service near you. Tel: If you have a learning disability, you may also be able to receive help from a Local Area Co-ordinator (LAC). The Scottish Consortium of Learning Disability (SCLD) can help you find your local contact. Tel: If your Council is being slow in arranging your Self-Directed Support, Self- Directed Support Scotland (SDSS) may be able to help you find local help, you could also consider complaining, or you could contact a councillor or your MSP. Factsheet 46s February of 28

17 8.7 Self-Directed Support and carers Carers can have their needs assessed by the Social Work department, who may be able to offer help and support to enable the carer to continue caring. If a carer provides a substantial amount of care on a regular basis they are entitled to an assessment of their own needs either separately as part of the assessment for the cared-for person. A carer s support needs could be met by Self-Directed Support. You can get advice about your rights as a carer from Carers Scotland Carers Line: and Carers Trust Scotland Tel: Complaining about a decision If you disagree with a Council decision, you can use the Council s three stage complaints procedure to challenge it. The council will have a Complaints Officer who should be able to provide details of the procedure. The first stage is an informal discussion with the section which has made the decision. If this does not resolve matters you can make a formal complaint in writing which the Council must investigate and respond to within 28 days unless there is good reason for the council to take longer. If you are still unhappy, then you can complain to an independent complaints review committee consisting of 3 members who should all be independent of the council. If you have followed all these steps and feel the Council has not resolved your complaint, you can approach the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to request a complaint form asking them to investigate your case. See contact details at the back of this leaflet. Factsheet 46s February of 28

18 You may also wish to discuss your complaint with your local councillor or MSP. Your council will publish a list of councillors (usually on their websites) and the Scottish Parliament produces a list of MSPs. You can contact the Scottish Parliament on Tel or Freephone Welfare benefits You may be able to claim welfare benefits to help meet the cost of care and support you need at home. The main disability related benefits (which you can claim can claim regardless of your income or savings) are: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for people of working age who have a disability or long-term health condition who need help with daily living or mobility. PIP can continue to be paid after you are 65. Attendance Allowance (AA) for people who are aged 65 or over who have need help with care or supervision during the day, during the night or both. If you do not already receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) you may be able to claim Attendance Allowance. Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people who have care or mobility needs. It used to be the main disability benefit for working age people, but it is no longer available for new claimants. Carers Allowance is for people who care for 35 or more hour a week for someone else who receives Attendance Allowance, Middle or higher rate care component Disability Living Allowance or the Daily Living component of Personal Independence Payment. It is not means tested and does not depend on national insurance (NI) contributions. However, it can be affected by your earnings and if you claim carers allowance this could reduce the benefits of the person you care for. Call Silver Line Scotland for benefits advice specific to your situation and to get a benefits check carried out over the phone. If you are looking for face to face advice near you, visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau. You can find your nearest Bureau by calling Citizens Advice Direct on Factsheet 46s February of 28

19 11 Other help Other help may be available to meet extra costs of your disability or to make your home more suitable for your needs. You may be able to obtain a grant if you need adaptations to your home because you have a disability and you own your home or have a private landlord. Assistance may be available if: your home doesn't have a toilet, sink, bath, shower or washbasin with hot and cold water, or you have to share a toilet with another household (these are known as 'standard amenities'), or your home does have these standard amenities, but because of your disability, you are unable to use them You will need the support of the Social Work department for an application, usually after an assessment by an occupational therapist. The Social Work department can also provide small items of equipment and temporary adaptations. Landlords cannot reasonably refuse permission for an adaptation to be made by a disabled occupant, although the landlord has no responsibility to pay for the adaptation. For more information see Age Scotland s factsheet Older home owners: financial help with repairs and adaptations. 12 Who can help? Silver Line Scotland Silver Line Scotland provides information, friendship and advice to older people, their relatives and carers. The helpline is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year (from a landline) (from a mobile) You can also contact us by textphone on If you need an interpreter call and simply state the language you need e.g. Polish or Urdu. Stay on the line for a few minutes and the Silver Line Scotland staff will do the rest. Factsheet 46s February of 28

20 Care and Repair Scotland Provides assistance to older and disabled homeowners to repair, improve or adapt their homes. Tel: (headquarters) Care Inspectorate Inspects and regulates care services across Scotland. Tel: Carers Scotland Offers general help and advice for all carers through its free Carers Line helpline. They are part of Carers UK. Carers Line: Carers Trust Scotland The largest provider of comprehensive carer support services in Scotland. Tel: Disability Rights UK Focuses on promoting meaningful independent living for disabled people. Tel: In Control Scotland Set up to promote the development of self-directed support and individual budgets in Scotland. They work directly with people who need support and also research ways in which people can be more in control of their lives. Tel: Money Advice Service Helps people manage their money directly through their own free and impartial advice service. They are an independent service, set up by government. Tel: Factsheet 46s February of 28

21 RVS A volunteer organisation that aims to enrich the lives of older people and their families across Britain. Tel: Scottish Consortium of Learning Disability (SCLD) A consortium of partner organisations who work together to encourage best practice in the support of people with learning disabilities. Tel: Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) Promotes, supports and defends the principles and practice of Independent Advocacy across Scotland. Tel: Scottish Personal Assistant Employer s Network (SPAEN) A Scotland wide network for people seeking to become or already employing their own personal assistants. Tel Website Scottish Public Service Ombudsman (SPSO) The final stage for complaints about public services including the National Health Service, housing associations, Councils and the Scottish Government. Tel: Self-Directed Support Scotland A national membership organisation which actively promotes Independent Living by supporting, working with and championing the aims of Self Directed Support disabled people's organisations. Tel: Self-directed Support in Scotland (website only) The Scottish Government s official Self-Directed Support (SDS) website. Factsheet 46s February of 28

22 Shared Care Scotland A national charity that works to improve the quality, choice and availability of short break (respite care) provision across Scotland, for the benefit of carers and the people they care for. Tel: Disability Information Scotland A national charity in Scotland providing information for disabled people about disability equipment. Tel: Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) You can find your local CAB by calling Citizens Advice Direct or visiting the Citizens Advice Scotland website and entering your post code. Tel: Support our work Every year, thousands of older people across Scotland benefit from the vital information and advice Age Scotland provides. If you would like to support this work and help improve the lives of older people in Scotland you can donate by: Giving us a call on and ask for the fundraising team. Visit our website at Complete the donation page over the page and return in an envelope to Age Scotland, Causewayside House, 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh, EH9 1PR. Across the UK For information and advice in the rest of the UK: In England contact Age UK Advice on In Wales contact Age Cymru on In Northern Ireland contact Age NI on Factsheet 46s February of 28

23 Would you like to support Age Scotland? Support Age Scotland with a gift to enable us to continue producing fact sheets like this and all our other vital work to help improve lives of older people in Scotland. Please complete the donation form below and return to: Age Scotland Freepost RSBS_KEHC-GBBC 160 Causewayside Edinburgh EH9 1PR Alternatively, you can phone or visit Title: Initials: Surname: Address: Postcode: I would like to donate Cash/Cheque/Postal Order I enclose a cheque/postal Order made payable to: Age Scotland Card Payment I wish to donate by (please tick) MasterCard Visa CAF Maestro Card Number: / / / Security Code: Issue Number: (Maestro Only) Valid from: / Expiry Date: / Please see overleaf for Gift Aid information. Factsheet 46s February of 28

24 Gift Aid Declaration Are you a UK Tax Payer? If so, you can use Gift Aid to make your donations go further by ticking Yes below. If you Gift Aid your donation, the charity will continue to receive an additional 25p on every pound you give. To qualify for Gift Aid, you must pay an amount of UK Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6 April one year to 5 April the next) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that Age Scotland will reclaim on your gifts for that tax year. Yes, I want Age Scotland to treat all donations I have made for the four years prior to this year, and all donations I make from the date of this declaration until I notify you otherwise, as Gift Aid donations. I confirm I pay an amount of UK income tax and/or capital gains tax to cover the amount that all charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs will reclaim on my donations in the tax year. No, I am not a UK taxpayer, and/or I do not wish to Gift Aid my donations. Signature: Date: We may wish to contact you from time to time by either post or telephone, to provide you with information about our charity, services, or, to gather your opinion or views. On some occasions we may share your information with likeminded organisations. However, if you do not wish us to pass your details on, but are still happy to hear from us, please mark this box. If you prefer not to hear from Age Scotland, please mark this Factsheet 46s February of 28

25 Disclaimer While we aim to ensure that the information in this document is factually correct at the time of production, Age Scotland cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions. Please ensure that you have an up to date factsheet and that it clearly applies to your situation. No factsheet can ever be a complete guide to the law, which also changes from time to time. Legal advice should always be taken if you are in doubt. Please note that the inclusion of named agencies, companies, products, services or publications in this factsheet does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by Age Scotland. This factsheet may be reproduced in whole or in part in unaltered form with due acknowledgement to Age Scotland. Reproduction in any other form is not permitted without written permission from Age Scotland. Age Scotland, part of the Age UK family, is an independent charity dedicated to improving the lives of older people in Scotland, within a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in Scotland. Reg No: Charity No: SC Registered Office: Causewayside House, 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh EH9 1PR. Factsheet 46s February of 28

26 Notes Factsheet 46s February of 28

27 Notes Factsheet 46s February of 28

28 Age Scotland Textphone Silver Line Scotland Age Scotland Enterprises (Edinburgh) (Glasgow) Age Scotland, part of the Age Network, is an independent charity dedicated to improving the later lives of everyone on the ageing journey, within a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in Scotland. Registration Number: Factsheet 46s February of 28