Air Later Life Academy (LLA) has announced a new relationship with long-term care specialists Care Box.

Care Box has been created by My Care Consultant (MCC) and provides support for both non-regulated and regulated care advice, providing tools, information and guidance on care-related topics and the ways to pay for care.

Air LLA is the commercial and training organisation for later life advisers and Air Mortgage Club. Members of both Air LLA and Air Mortgage Club will be able to subscribe to Care Box on either a monthly or annual basis.

Air Group will allocate reward points, as part of its Air Rewards scheme, to every member taking out either a monthly or annual subscription. The adviser can then choose to exchange these points for cash or donate to charity – Air Rewards allows advisers to earn points when they complete any business through the Group.

The online Care Box resource provides a sales toolkit to help advisers develop their business, as well as a range of guides and tools that advisers can share with clients, and to help them get answers to the regular care-related questions they receive, such as:

• How is income and capital treated in the Local Authority’s financial assessment (means test)?
• What funding options are available for those paying for their own care (self-funders)?
• What is the current rate of Attendance Allowance?
• How does NHS Continuing Health Care work and how can clients challenge a decision?
• What support is there for those who have loved ones with dementia?

Air Group believes that by signing up to Care Box, Academy and Mortgage Club members will be able to provide more fully-rounded, relevant and up-to-date information on the care system and process, plus it will help develop their knowledge and understanding in a complex area.

Gary Little (pictured), commercial director of Air Group, said: “The UK’s care system is undeniably complex and constantly changing, and while our Academy and Mortgage Club members might not be specialist advisers in this area, the likelihood is they will be asked general questions by clients on a whole range of care-related topics.

“This is why we are working with Care Box to ensure that those advisers who wish to expand their knowledge, or indeed are looking at potential opportunities in the care market, can use the vast range of resources available online in order to support their learning.

“The team at My Care Consultant, who are behind Care Box, have unparalleled expertise in this market and we couldn’t wish to work with a better operation in this space. We are looking forward to helping them develop this new proposition and to helping our members access, what is, an incredible resource.”

Jacqueline Berry, founding director of My Care Consultant & Care Box, added: “My Care Consultant (MCC) helps consumers navigate the complex social and health care systems that operate across the UK. We also help financial advisers deliver comprehensive care propositions to their clients. To this end we built Care Box Online to provide support to advisers on both non-regulated and regulated care advice, whether they provide care advice in-house or outsource to a specialist like MCC.

“We are proud to be an ambassador of Air, and we are delighted that they have chosen to work with us in this way as we believe the partnership will provide valuable support to advisers and firms in this important, growing market.”