Families urged to act as care claim deadline looms (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Families urged to act as care claim deadline looms

8:00am Saturday 26th January 2013 in Local

THOUSANDS of people across Wyre Forest could lose out in the race to claim care home fees they wrongly paid - if they miss a fast approaching Government deadline.

The warning comes from family lawyer Tracy Parry following a reminder from the Department for Health that families fighting for NHS refunds for nursing home fees they were wrongly charged now have only a matter of weeks to make a claim.

Those paying for their own care, or a family member’s, between April 1, 2011 and  March 31, 2012 may qualify and have only until March 31 to register their claim.

Repayment claims can still be made even if the person in question has died.

Ms Parry, a specialist solicitor at Kidderminster law firm MFG Solicitors, said: “There are thousands of people across Wyre Forest who have paid for care when they actually qualify for a free NHS-funding.

 

“Many of these people, who have been forced to sell their homes to cover the cost of nursing care, are unaware not only of their possible eligibility for free care but also that the government has set this imminent second deadline for challenges to be made.”

She added: “People should not shy away from appealing as thousands of pounds which could be returned to Wyre Forest families will not be refunded if the March deadline is missed."