Paying for your care home
Matching with a care home
You choose where you wish to live and how much you will have to pay to live in the care home of your choice.
If it is safe to do, so the care homes will want to meet you and complete an assessment to ensure that they can meet your care and support needs. They will let your social worker and brokerage officer know the outcome and their decision.
Fair price for your care
If it is agreed that you can move in, then you will be advised whether you will need to contribute towards the care homes costs. The council has an agreement which means they will pay a fair price for your care.
If you don’t want to pay you may not be able to live in the care home of your choice if the costs are above the usual or fair price. You can choose to go to the care home which has the fair price.
Third party top-up
If you choose to go to a care home that has very high costs then you, your next of kin or representative will have to pay the difference in the costs. This type of arrangement is known as a third party top-up.
NHS-funded nursing care (FNC)
If you are moving into a care home with nursing, registered nurses are usually employed by the care home to provide the nursing care support. This is called ‘NHS-funded nursing care’ and is a standard rate contribution.
Who is eligible for NHS-funded nursing care?
You may be eligible for NHS-funded nursing care if:
- you are eligible for NHS continuing healthcare but have been assessed as needing care from a registered nurse
- you live in a nursing home.