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Page 2 of 2 Moving into a care homeAverage fees are around £400 a week for a residential home and £550 a week for a nursing home, but can be much higher especially in London and the South East. The state might help, but the rules are complex - see Figure 1. To help you through the maze, get free advice from, for example, Age Concern, Help the Aged or Citizens' Advice Bureau. Some common concerns are considered below.  Figure 1. Who pays care home fees?
Will I have to sell my home?Whether or not you can get state funding depends on the amount of capital you have. Capital means things like your savings and investments. It also includes your home unless your partner (married or not), elderly or disabled relative or child under 16 still lives there. Your local council also has discretion to ignore the value of your home if, say, your carer will carry on living there. But, if you live alone, it is possible you will have to sell your home to fund your share of the care home fees.In England, Wales and Scotland, local councils can offer a deferred payment agreement. Instead of paying fees now, the council will collect your contribution from the proceeds when your home is eventually sold (usually after you have died). Will I have enough to live on?If you get state funding, you will be expected to use substantially all of your income to contribute towards the fees. Care home fees typically cover bed and board, heating, lighting and care (unless the State pays). In general, you will be left with only a personal expenses allowance of around £20 a week to pay for extras, such as toiletries, clothes, gifts, phone calls and so on.Example George has capital of £10,000 and income of £170 a week (made up of £87.30 state pension and £82.70 a week occupational pension. He moves into a care home that charges £400 a week, which is within the maximum limit his local council will pay. George is allowed to keep £20.45 a week personal expense allowance, but the rest of his income (£149.55 a week) goes towards the care home fees. His local council pays the remaining £250.45 a week. Will my partner or others have to pay towards my care?There is a presumption that married couples and civil partners (but not unmarried partners) have a duty to support each other, so the local council can ask your partner for a contribution towards your fees. However, it is unlikely to do so if this would leave your partner financially distressed. The council can't ask an unmarried partner or other family members to contribute.Will my partner have enough to live on?Half of any occupational or personal pension you get will be assigned to your partner if it was intended to support your both. If your partner's income is low, they may qualify for extra State benefits, such as pension credit and council tax benefit. If you ask, your local council has the discretion to increase your personal expenses allowance so you can give financial help your partner. Even so, it may be difficult for your partner to manage.Useful contacts
Pull Quotes Generally, every effort is made to help you stay in your own home for as long as possible. Moving to a care home is usually treated as a last resort. |
