Paying for care

We accept residents who will be funding their own care and also residents eligible for a local authority contribution which would need to be topped up by a third party to meet our weekly fee. Where the top-up is payable, the local authority should pay us for the full cost of care, and collect the top-up from you directly.

Trial period: Your first 28 days is considered a trial period, during which either you or we can end the contract. We will only end the contract during the trial period if we are unable to meet your needs. After 28 days we would require 28 days written notice if you wish to terminate the contract. People moving in on a permanent contract are requested to complete a direct debit mandate to be set in place along with a four-week deposit which will be held by us for the duration of the residence. Your deposit will be safeguarded and will normally be refunded within 28 days of the end of your residency, subject to our right to deduct from it non-payment of fees or damage to property.

Funding your own care [self-funding] – where you fund your ‘social care’ entirely from your own private resources. If you have savings or assets valued over £23,250 you will pay the full cost of your care home fees until your savings and assets reduce down to £23,250. Social services will do a financial assessment once you reach this level to work out exactly what contribution they will put towards your care

Public funding of social/personal care – if you need help with personal care such as bathing, washing, dressing, eating, and you have savings or assets valued under £23,250 then social services may contribute towards your care. This is determined by a financial assessment and also whether you need care in a care home or care provided in your own home.

Funded Nursing Care (FNC) – if you require a nurse in a nursing home, then the nursing care element is free (funded by the NHS) and usually paid directly to the care home. However, you will still need to pay the social or personal care part of the care home fees. This will be covered in your care home contract.

Continuing Healthcare Funding (CHC) – if you qualify for CHC funding following a two stage process, all your care should be paid for by the NHS irrespective of the place the care is provided. Individuals must have what is called ‘a primary health need’ and the assessment for this is fairly complex (the assessment covers numerous areas individually and then involves a further assessment of whether you have complex, intensive or unpredictable needs).

There are a number of factors that will be taken into account and determine whether you are eligible or able to receive funding. These factors include:

• Where the care is being received – i.e. is it received in a private home or in a care home setting
• The social and health care needs
• The ability to perform certain ‘activities of daily living’
• The financial situation

There are various benefits and allowances or NHS payments that can also be factored into the mix of funding options:

The Local Authority may make a contribution towards some or all of the weekly fees. The amounts paid will vary across the UK from LA to LA and are determined by local eligibility criteria and the assessed financial situation of the individual.

NHS Continuing Health Care also referred to as CHC funding

Funding Nursing Care commonly shorted to ‘FNC’.  FNC payments are made on a weekly basis. Although this is a UK wide benefit, the weekly amount awarded is determined by the local country.

Attendance Allowance. The Attendance Allowance is available to people aged 65 and over and is based on application and specific health and mobility based criteria. This allowance will stop after 28 days if you move into a care home and are relying on public funding for your care.

Personal Independence Payment (formerly known as Disability Living Allowance) is paid to those people under state retirement age. There are two components to this benefit a daily living part and a mobility element

Local Authority contributions towards the weekly fees:  the individual or their representative should contact their own local authority to request an assessment. This will include both the social/health care need together with a financial means-test.

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC): the Primary Care Trust via your family GP is a good place to start. Be prepared for a fairly lengthy and in-depth needs led process.  A person’s finances aren’t included in this assessment.

Funded Nursing Care (FNC):  the manager of the care home is usually the best person to instigate the application although they are not involved in the process. As with CHC funding, an individual’s financial circumstances aren’t relevant to the outcome.

Personal Care (Scotland only):  applications should be made to the local authority.

Personal Independence Payment:  the person needing care or their representative needs to contact the government helpline centre on 0800 917 2222 to request an application form. It will arrive through the post with notes on how it should be completed.

NHS Continuing Health Care is where the NHS agrees to pay for the nursing care component of a person’s nursing fees via a flat fee paid directly to the care home.

Who is responsible for applying for CHC funding?

The individual or their representative is usually responsible for initiating the application, either via the family doctor or social worker. The case will then by passed to the most appropriate (local) Clinical Commissioning Groups in England for consideration, approval or rejection.

CHC funding is subject to quite strict assessment criteria and isn’t linked to a means test or financial viability test.

Does CHC eligibility differ from area to area?

The process surrounding continuing healthcare funding assessments is set out by the government in a published National Framework. It isn’t unreasonable therefore to assume that the existence of such guidelines should mean that all assessors should be using exactly the same criteria and negating any regional disparities.

To be eligible for CHC an individual’s need for care must be a healthcare rather than a social care need, so the Clinical Commissioning Group must establish that the need for care is primarily health related. This is usually called a ‘primary health need’.

Additionally, these needs must be assessed as being complex, intense and unpredictable in their nature or a combination. It should also be noted that a person’s health needs, not their actual diagnosis determines whether they are eligible for funding.

What are ‘top up’ fees?

A top up fee may be asked of the family when the local authority contribution doesn’t quite meet the cost of the care home fees. When this happens, the family could be asked to make up the difference. This is called a ‘third party top up agreement’ and usually requires the approval of the local authority.

This would happen after the local authority has carried out their health and social care needs assessment and a financial means test.  If at this point, the LA agrees that the individual is eligible for a contribution, they will pay towards the weekly care fees on behalf of the person who needs care. However, if this contribution doesn’t cover the whole care home cost, then a ‘top up’ may be required.

Do I pay for my own top up fee?

Usually as the resident, you are not expected to cover the cost of a top up fee.  This is because when assessing your care need and financial situation the local authority will make a judgement about whether you can fund your own care. they would therefore not expect you to be able to fund additional costs.  If a top up fee is needed, this may be asked of the family instead to make up the difference between the local authority contribution and the fee charged by the home.

There are specific circumstances where this might not be the case:

• Where you have a deferred payment scheme in place
• Where you have a property to sell that is in a ‘property disregard period’

What is a means test?

This is the blanket term given to how a local authority looks at a person’s financial situation. For the purposes of awarding weekly care contributions each country sets out its annual thresholds which are usually amended/published each April (at the start of the new tax year).   The means test covers your share of any joint assets but doesn’t include your family’s finances.

What’s assessed in a means test?

The means test will look at the resident’s regular income such as earnings, benefits or a pension. Although earnings from paid work should be disregarded. It will also consider any capital and assets you have such as investments, cash savings and your property.

FNC stands for ‘Funded Nursing Care’.  NHS-funded nursing care (FNC) means that the NHS will cover designated nursing fees related to the nursing or medical care you receive from a registered nurse during your stay.

Depending on your circumstances, this could be anything from planning your nursing care to carrying out specific tasks.

Is FNC funding available throughout the UK?

It is a UK wide benefit although the country of residence will determine the awarding authority:

• England and Wales, FNC is funded by the NHS through local Clinical Commissioning Groups
• Northern Ireland it’s the local Health and Social Care Trusts
• Whereas in Scotland payments are made by local authorities.

How do I access FNC funding / who actions the application process?

To receive FNC payments you should first be assessed to determine whether you are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Usually, this happens automatically as the professionals caring for you should start the assessment process in certain situations, such as if your physical or mental health deteriorates rapidly or following discharge from hospital.

If you are already living in a nursing home, your eligibility should be considered when your nursing needs are reviewed annually.

You can also request to have an assessment at any time, the home manager, care worker or GP can assist here.

Attendance Allowance is available to anybody 65 and over with physical or mental disabilities and who need help with washing, dressing or eating. You are eligible for attendance allowance if you pay for your care in a care home.

You are NOT eligible if…

• You already receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• You receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• You live in a care home and the local authority already contributes to your costs (Attendance Allowance will only be paid for the first 28 days)

Attendance Allowance isn’t means tested so your finances won’t be checked to work out if you’re entitled. To claim, you don’t need to be receiving assistance already, you just need to show that you will benefit from it.

How much does Attendance Allowance pay? 

• Day or Night: £61.85 Weekly [lower rate]
• Day and Night: £92.40 Weekly [higher rate]

The amount of Attendance Allowance you get depends on whether you need help day or night or both day and night (or are terminally ill). Payments are calculated weekly and usually paid every four weeks.

Attendance Allowance is available to anyone that has reached state pension age with physical or mental disabilities and who needs help with washing, dressing, eating or any other daily activities. The Attendance Allowance essentially helps with extra financial costs if you need someone to help look after you. You are also eligible for attendance allowance if you pay for your care in a care home.

Looking to make a claim? We’ve put together a step-by-step guide that will help you when filling out the Attendance Allowance form.

To claim the Attendance Allowance, you should complete the AA1 Attendance Allowance form at your earliest convenience, even if you’re still living in your own home. You can get the Attendance Allowance claim form by requesting one over the phone or by printing one out from gov.uk 

We want to help give you the peace of mind that you have made the right choice financially. In the lead up to moving in we spend time helping you fully understand annual costs along with any annual increases you may expect but also make you aware of any funding options that could be available to you. During this process we will ask for details around the funds and assets available to help fund the stay.