Paying for a care home
Who pays for your stay in a care home will depend on many factors including the type of care you receive, the seriousness of your illness or disability and your financial situation. As a general guide, you could be:
- fully funded – your fees would be met in full by the NHS or other Government sources, but in very limited circumstances
- NHS continuing care - in some circumstances, where you are assessed as requiring a very high level of nursing care with constant supervision. The NHS will organise and pay for your continuing care in a hospital, a hospice or a nursing home.
- Care for war pensioners - available to those who qualify for help from the Veteran's Agency with funding under the War Pensions Scheme.
- Section 117 aftercare - available following a compulsory stay in a hospital for mental health treatment
- funded with financial support from the council – The council arranges a care home for you, and your stay will be part-funded by the council. You will be financially assessed to work out how much you can afford to pay towards the cost of your care.
- Self funding with practical support from the council - the council arranges a care home for you, but you pay the council for the costs of the care home
- Entirely self-funding (and self-arranging) - you arrange your own care, and you have to pay all of your own costs.
Financial assistance with your care home fees
If you are assessed as needing care home accommodation, Adult Social Services will generally only contribute financially to the care home fees if you have less than £23,250 in capital (including savings).
If you qualify for financial assistance from Barnet Council, there are clear rules as to how much you have to pay, and how much the council will contribute. This is calculated by looking at your income and the amount of capital that you have.
Adult Social Services will also tell you the maximum fee they would usually expect to fund per week which may depend on your circumstances.
Choosing a more expensive home
If you qualify for financial assistance from Barnet Council to pay your fees, the council will generally only pay the price they would usually expect to pay for a care home place which is suitable for someone with your care needs. You can only choose a more expensive home if:
- Either someone else (for example a relative, friend or charitable organisation) reaches agreement with the council to pay a ‘top up’ - the difference between the actual fee for the placement and the amount the council would usually pay for similar suitable accommodation. The person who agrees to pay this difference is called a third party sponsor
- Or, very exceptionally, if you are being funded under property disregard or deferred payment schemes, and you reach agreement with the council to contribute as well.
However, if an assessment shows that the only available place where your needs can be met is a care home which is more expensive than the council would usually expect to pay, you will be able to stay, with the council meeting the difference in costs.
Failure to keep up top up payments may result in you being asked to move to a suitable alternative home available at a cost the council would usually expect to pay.
You and your family can discuss payment options with your social worker or care manager who can provide further information.
Email this pageLast modified by: Dawn Rowe on 18/11/2011