PENSIONERS forced to sell their homes to pay for care could be eligible for a rebate from the government if they were wrongly deprived of state help — but many must make their claim by the end of September or lose the right to compensation.
Mistakes made by the NHS and local authorities meant thousands had to sell their properties between April 2004 and March 2011 to meet the cost of care that should have been free.
Under current rules, someone going into a care home after a period in hospital could be eligible to have their fees covered by the NHS. However, up to 100,000 elderly people had to pay for care themselves, with many having sold their homes to do so.
Experts are