hi
@oldboy
quick answer is no they cannot
however, they can ask whether you are willing to make a third party payment ... be very wary as this will only increase over time
and it may be that the home doesn't accept only the LA fee rate, so you might be asked to find a home that will ... in that case, the LA should offer at least one home, though it may not be the one you would choose yourself
be careful with that 'we' ... it is your wife alone who is funding her care; your finances are yours only
