Care Home and Nursing Home | Information and Advice

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FAQs

What is the average cost of a care home?

The average weekly cost of a residential care home in the UK is £1,298, while average fees at a nursing home cost £1,535 per week. The monthly average cost of residential care is £5,192, equating to £67,496 a year and nursing care in a care home costs on average £6,140 a month, equating to £79,820 a year.

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Who pays for care home fees?

You either have to pay for all of the care home costs yourself or your local authority pays for all or some of the costs. Around a half of care home residents aged 65+ fund themselves, these are also known as self-funders. The other half of older people getting residential care are state-funded and receive support from the local authority.

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Can you get help with care home costs?

Each country in the UK has a threshold to paying for care, known as capital limits. If your savings and assets are worth less than this amount, your local authority will contribute towards your care home fees. For example, in England, the upper capital limit is £23.250 – if you have less than this amount, you can get help with the costs. Essentially, the less money you have, the more help you will get.

Do I have to pay my parents’ care home fees?

You may be worried that as next of kin, you can be held responsible for your parent’s care home fees if they can no longer pay. Unless you share joint assets with your parent, or have signed a contract to say you will pay some or all of their care home fees, you are not legally obliged to be involved at all. Further to this, your assets cannot be included in their means test when planning their budget for care. The only way you can be financially affected by your parent’s care home fees without choosing to be is that you may have a smaller inheritance.

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How do I choose a care home?

When you start looking for a care home, think about what type of care you or your loved one needs, work out how you plan to fund the costs, what care homes are in your chosen area and if they have vacancies. Call carehome.co.uk’s free helpline 01488 501103 if you would like help searching for a care home. Read reviews of the care homes you shortlist. You should visit care homes and speak to the manager, staff and residents.

https://www.carehome.co.uk/advice/finding-a-care-home

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