How could a Homeshare help me? |
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Homesharing is a wonderful way to find the help you need at home. In exchange for free accommodation at your house, the home sharer will help you with daily tasks, like shopping, light cleaning, walking the dog, perhaps gardening and whatever else they agree to do. Plus if you feel vulnerable living by yourself, their presence will add to the sense of security at home.
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Would I suit a Homeshare arrangement? |
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Those Homesharing most suits, are those with a need for basic assistance at home. Those with medical needs will not benefit from having a Homesharer and are advised to seek professional medical assistance. However, some have a mixture of both and find that a blend of having professional medical help and a Homesharer caters to their needs.
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How long would the Homesharer stay? |
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This depends on many factors. Perhaps you have agreed a time period for the arrangement to end, and maybe the arrangement is open ended. This is entirely up to the two of you. One thing we advise, though, is that the Homesharer stay for at least 6 months after the initial 1 month trial, and that 1-month's notice is given on both sides before the arrangement is ended.
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How much does the service cost? |
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The Care2stay Homeshare service costs £85 per month with a placement fee of £125.00 - payable once a match has been found and starts the 1-month trial. We also manage the match on a monthly basis to make sure that everyone remains comfortable with the arrangement and we will actively seek other matches should the current one come to a close.
(Please note that referral from certain local authorites will see these fees waived).
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Who manages the arrangement? |
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Many Householders find it helpful if a relative - a son or daughter maybe, looks for a Homesharer on their behalf. That way there's a third party in the process who can call on both yourself and the Homesharer to make sure that everything's going to plan.
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Who do I contact if I need advice? |
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As a subscriber to the Care2stay service, you have access to our email support. Should you have any general queries simply use the 'Support link' on the User Home Page to contact us. And we will aim to answer within 24 hours.
Alternatively, please call us on 0870 718 8318 Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm.
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What happens if I live in accommodation designed for people over a certain age (over 50 or 60)? |
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It's important that you research the rules and restrictions that relate to the older resident and whether these are legally enforceable or simply local guidelines. If there are legal restrictions, meaning that a younger person cannot live in the property, then you will only be able to organise a Homeshare with a person of the right age.
However, if the age restrictions are merely a local target or rule, you may be able to gain permission from your Landlord/managing agent for a younger Homesharer to move in.
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What happens if the Homesharer is an older person e.g. over 60? |
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There are examples around the world of successful Homeshare matches that involve one or more older Homesharers living with a slightly older Householder. Older Homesharers can offer a great deal to a Homeshare arrangement.
If you are both retired, consideration needs to be given to your day time routines and how they will fit around each other.
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What happens if the Homesharer is a younger person, say under 25? |
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Homeshare programmes around the world have recognised that Homesharers must have the maturity and lifestyle to commit fully to the support of the Householder and to their Homesharer role.
Care2stay recommends that you seek Homesharers who are 24 years old or older, but recognises that age is not the only indicator of an individuals maturity. |
What happens if I, or the Homesharer is a declared bankrupt? |
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In a Homeshare arrangement the Homesharer does not have responsibility for your money. Therefore the fact that the Homesharer has, in the past, struggled financially shouldn't impact on the success of the arrangement.
If you have been declared bankrupt this would only pose a problem if the security of your home were compromised.
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Would a Homeshare agreement impact on my ability to release equity from my property? |
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Equity release scheme providers have taken a view that a Homeowner/Householder can release the equity in their home if they have a Homesharer living with them. However:
1: The Equity Release provider will require that the Homesharer ÊÊÊÊsigns a waiver of interest. If you have concerns about this, you ÊÊÊÊare advised to inform the Equity Release provider of your ÊÊÊÊintention to enter into a Homeshare arrangement.
2: Care2stay will modify the Homeshare agreement to include ÊÊÊÊprovisions in the event of you, the Householder, leaving the ÊÊÊÊproperty, moving into long-Êterm care or passing away. In the ÊÊÊÊevent of this happening all lenders will allow between 6 and 18 ÊÊÊÊmonths for the property to be sold. They liase with the executor ÊÊÊÊof the Will to coordinate the sale. If you want to plan in advance ÊÊÊÊto give the Homesharer time to move, you should inform your ÊÊÊÊexecutor/solicitor of your wishes.
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What happens if the Householder can be deemed to lack capacity due to a disability or mental illness? |
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The Householder cannot enter into a Homeshare agreement (and the License Agreement within it) unless they have the mental capacity to do so with support as necessary.
If they don't have the mental capacity it would be appropriate for someone else to engage in the process and to sign the Homeshare agreement on their behalf, but only if they have 'Power of Attorney' over their affairs.
If they don't have power of attorney, they could act on the Householders behalf by obtaining a 'Short Order' which would enable them to act on the Householders behalf on matters concerning the Homeshare agreement only, and none of the Householders other life aspects.
If a person does have Enduring Power of Attorney it must be registered with the Court before they can make decisions on the Householders behalf.
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If I had my adult son living with me, what checks and references should be taken up on him for the sake of the incoming Homesharer? |
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Any adult, resident of the Householder's home, should be asked to provide two professional references. This is simply to provide some background information and to check their character. CRB checks cannot be legally made on other adult residents of the household.
Therefore it is important to make sure that the Homesharer is aware that there is another adult resident in the home, that references have been taken up, but that no CRB checks have been conducted. |
If my Homeshare match has been in place for some time and my needs increase to include 'Personal Care', can I use a Direct Payment to the Homesharer to provide this support? |
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You would be legally entitled to use your Direct Payment to employ the Homesharer to provide personal care and you would need to use the Direct Payment to employ the Homesharer directly.
This would create numerous complications concerning employment law, national minimum wages and would further complicate the Homeshare agreement. Therefore it is inadvisable to allow Homesharers to provide you with personal care.
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Will Homeshare affect my single person's council tax rebate? |
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Liability for council tax is governed by the Council Tax Regulations 1992 and people living alone are able to claim a 'single person' discount.
There are a number of categories of people who are disregarded for the purposes of council tax. Homesharers who are youth trainees, apprentices, students or student nurses will be disregarded for the purposes of council tax and you will not in those circumstances lose your single person discount. In this situation you should obtain confirmation from the council tax office that the Homesharer will be disregarded for the purposes of council tax and that you will not lose your single person discount.
Householders with Homesharers who are not disregarded for the purpose of Council Tax, will lose their single person discount. They will however be entitled to the second adult rebate as long as the Homesharer is not paying rent. The Housing Benefit Strategy Division have confirmed that
'a person is entitiled to the second adult rebate if they are a resident of the property, are liable to council tax on that property and if any other resident does not pay them rent to live in that property'.
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Will a Homeshare arrangement affect the tax payable by me or the Homesharer? |
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There was concern that Her Majesty's Revenue and Custom (HMRC) might regard:
- The accommodation provided to the Homesharer or the ÊÊsupport ÊÊprovided to you as 'Taxable Income'.
-ÊThe proportion of the accommodation occupied by the ÊÊHomesharer ÊÊas accommodation used for business ÊÊpurposes when the ÊÊHouseholder sells their property ÊÊ(and therefore liable for Capital ÊÊGains Tax).
HMRC has however confirmed that :
- They will not treat provision of accommodation or ofÊsupport as ÊÊtaxable income.
-There will be no liability for capital gains tax on any profit from the Êsale of the Householder's home.
Care2stay's Homesharing agreement clarifies that the Homesharer occupies their room under a license arrangment and that you the Householder has access to their room as and when required.
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Will a Homesharer arrangement affect my 'means tested' benefits? |
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Where you or the Homesharer is receiving means tested benefits, the concern is whether the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) will treat the accommodation provided to the Homesharer or the support provided to you as notional income for the purposes of benefits.
This is a complicated issue as there are a number of different variables, ie you and/or the Homesharer may be claiming one or more of a number or different benefits.
However there are some very clear areas:
i. ÊÊIf the Homesharer pays rent, the rent is taken into ÊÊÊÊÊaccount as ÊÊÊÊÊincome in the assessment of your income ÊÊÊÊÊrelated benefit.
ii. ÊThe support provided by the Homesharer may be treated as ÊÊÊÊÊ'notional income' as far as you are concerned and may affect any ÊÊÊÊÊmeans tested benefit you receive.
iii. If the Homesharer does not pay rent and has been claiming ÊÊÊÊÊHousing benefit, then they will lose all or most of the benefit ÊÊÊÊÊpayment. Having free accommodation is seen as 'income in ÊÊÊÊÊkind' for the Homesharer and is disregarded for the purposes of ÊÊÊÊÊmeans tested benefits.
iv. If you are claiming Housing benefits, the Homesharer will be ÊÊÊÊÊseen as a 'Non Dependent' for theÊpurposes of this benefit.
v.ÊÊIf the Homesharer receives Severe Disability Premium:
ÊÊÊÊÊ- The benefits rule means that the Homesharer could lose their ÊÊÊÊentitlement to SDP if they move in to live with another person.
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Where I'm claiming benefit, in what circumstances will the Homesharer not be classed as a 'non dependent'? |
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i. ÊÊIf the Homesharer is employed by a charitable voluntary body. Note ÊÊÊÊÊthat the definition of 'voluntary body' in the legislation, specifically ÊÊÊÊÊexcludes local authorities and other statutory bodies.
ii.ÊÊIf a modest license fee is charged to the Homesharer. Note that:
ÊÊÊÊÊÊ- If the Householder is aged under 60, a payment by a 'sub-ÊÊÊÊÊtenant' (which is what a Homesharer would be if they paid a ÊÊÊÊÊlicense fee) of more that £4 (£15.45 if heat and light are included ÊÊÊÊÊ(2007-08 rates)) would result in a reduction in your means tested ÊÊÊÊÊbenefit.
ÊÊÊÊÊ- If you are over 60 or over then the first £20 per week is ignored.
iii.ÊÊIf the Householder is in receipt of Attendance Allowance, the ÊÊÊÊÊÊcare component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA), is ÊÊÊÊÊÊregistered blind or is registered blind, or is in receipt of ÊÊÊÊÊÊequivalent benefits paid becauseof injury at work or a war ÊÊÊÊÊÊinjury.
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Could I and my Homesharer be considered to be living together as partners for the purposes of tax credit? |
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Tax credits are based on the income and circumstances of the household so there can be financial advantages for a person in stating they are single when they are a couple. Primarily this is because the partner's income will not be included in the calculation of eligibility for tax credit but it might also be for other reasons.
For this reason, Householders and Homesharers in a match may be required to demonstrate (or at least be aware) that although they are living together it is not as a couple eg husband/wife/civil partners.
HMRC have produced guidance on when people are considered to be living together as man and wife to clarify the impact on Tax Credit.
The following links to the HMRC website give further clarification:
Undisclosed Partners: Claims to Tax Credits
Undisclosed Partners: Couples who are unmarried and not civil partners
Undisclosed Partners: Living in the same Household
This guidance makes it clear that people matched together in a Homeshare arrangement where no other relationship exists, apart from that of Householder/Homesharer will not be considered by HMRC to be living together as husband/wife/civil partners for the purposes of tax credit.
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What happens if I am entitled to a free TV license because I am over 75, and I have a younger Homesharer come to live with me? |
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The TV Licensing authority confirms that:
i. If someone is aged 75 or over , they are entitled to a ÊÊÊfree 'Over 75 ÊÊÊTV License for their principal resident, ÊÊÊeven if they live with ÊÊÊyounger relatives or friends and ÊÊÊthis includes a younger ÊÊÊHomesharer.
ii. If they are aged 74 and will turn 75 before their next TV license is ÊÊÊÊdue to expire, they qualify to buy a Short Term License. This will ÊÊÊÊcover their principal residence until their 75th birthday, when ÊÊÊÊthey will be entitled to a free Over 75 TV license. With a Short ÊÊÊÊTerm TV License, they need only pay for the number of months ÊÊÊÊbetween the date of their current license expiring and their ÊÊÊÊbirthday.
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What happens if I am a full-time student and I am exempt from paying Council Tax? |
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If you are a full time student, you will be exempt from paying Council Tax. If a Homesharer moves into the property and they are also a student, or exempt from Council Tax for another reason, then no one in the household will pay Council Tax.
If however, the Homesharer is not exempt , then Council Tax must be paid. |
