Cost of Care
Nearly everyone has to pay a contribution towards the cost of
the care that they receive, and this contribution will depend on
the individual's personal circumstances. Some people may qualify
for financial help with the cost of their care from social
services, while others may pay for their care from savings and
income.
The law says that people with more than £23,250 in capital have to pay
in full for the accommodation and personal care they receive in a
care home. However, paying the full cost of care home fees can mean
that your capital may reduce very quickly. You need to work out how
long it will take before your capital reduces to £23,250. Contact
Peterborough City Council well before this happens.
It is always advisable to contact Peterborough City
Council if you are considering moving into a care home. If
you think that you may need financial help from the Council at a
later date when your savings and capital run low it is important to
contact us before you move into a home to get advice and an
assessment of the kind of care you need. The Council can only pay
towards the cost of the care they assess someone as needing, and
that rate will usually only cover a basic room. For example, if you
had already been paying for a more expensive room, and wanted to
stay in that room, the difference would have to be met from other
sources.
It is generally the case that homes that offer nursing care
usually cost more than those who provide only residential care.
If you arrange a care home placement without this help or
advice, and later ask for help with your fees, we would have to
assess your need for care against the Council's Adult Social Care
eligibility criteria. If we assess that you do not need residential
or nursing care you may not be able to receive financial help. It
is always advisable to take independent financial advice to ensure
that you will be able to afford the care you choose.
In order to receive financial help from Peterborough City
Council, you must meet the eligibility criteria and have less than £23,250
capital. This figure includes the value of your home (unless
your partner is still living there). The value of your home is
usually disregarded for the first 12 weeks of your stay in a
residential home.
If you receive financial help from Peterborough City Council you
will still need to make an assessed contribution towards the cost
of your care. You will not be left with less than £23.90 per week
to cover your personal expenses. If you would like more detailed
information please refer to the Adult Social Care Charging Policy
on this website.
Choosing a care home
When choosing a care home, individuals have the right to be
accommodated in a home of their choice, providing the following
apply:
- The accommodation is suitable to your needs
- To do so would not cost Peterborough City Council more than it
would usually expect to pay for someone with your needs
- There is a place available at the home of your choice.
If the accommodation is more expensive than Peterborough City
Council would normally fund, it must still be arranged providing
that there is a third party willing to pay the difference (known as
a top-up). The third party in this case might be a relative, a
friend, a charity or any other source – it cannot be the person
going into the home.
Financial Assessments
Peterborough City Council carries out a financial assessment to
determine how much you have to pay towards the care fees and to
help you claim any welfare benefits you may be entitled to. You
will then be informed how much you will have to contribute.
Disposal of any capital assets to avoid or reduce the amount you
pay may result in the assessment being made as if you still have
those assets.
Each April there will be a financial reassessment of the fee you
have to pay.
Funded Nursing Care (FNC) sometimes known as Free Nursing
Care
The weekly cost of a placement in a care home includes costs for
accommodation, food, personal care, and if the placement is in a
Nursing Home it will include an amount for nursing tasks. Funded
Nursing Care means that people who are living in a care home with
nursing get the nursing element of their care paid for them by the
NHS.
An assessment by a nurse will determine if you qualify for free
nursing care; and the NHS then pays the care home directly.
Privately funded people getting ‘Funded Nursing Care’ still pay for
the rest of their care, including personal care, accommodation and
food.
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Adult Social Care Charging Policy - April 2013
(309KB, 23 pages)