They also reassured parents wishing to begin the process of seeking college places for the academic year 1998 - 99 by saying that the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) will agree to meet the costs of boarding education for 1998 - 99 should the issue remain unsolved. If this is the case, the FEFC would fund the costs of boarding education on the same basis as that used by the Council of the Isles of Scilly in 1997 - 98, that is, a grant of £2,200 per student.
The FEFC has made this decision in order to act reasonably in the best interests of the students and to avoid causing anxiety to students and their parents by delaying a decision pending resolution of the funding responsibility.
"Many older people are happily independent until perhaps a fall, a spell
in hospital or failing health leaves them unable to cope on their own.
They suddenly need some extra help - either at home or in residential care
- and their main concern is how they will pay for it," says Stefan Kuchar,
Group Senior Manager, Retirement Services at Help the Aged.
"Many people think they will have to sell their homes, but with nursing
home and residential care costs running at around £20,000 a year,
that money will not last very long. We can advise on a range of alternatives,
such as investing in a care fees plan, which can help people fund their
care for life without using up all their savings, he said.
Contact Help the Aged's Long Term Independence Planning Service on
0500 76 74 76. The service is free, confidential, and offers
impartial financial advice from experts who specialise in older people's
care needs.
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