Care home top-up fees

[RnK136]

Dad has gone into residential care following several weeks in hospital, currently on a Discharge to Assess status pending care and financial assessments by his local authority.

My brother and I have been given contract to sign by the care home mentioning a payment of £20 per week top-up fee.

Can this come out of Dad's finances?

He is over the threshold so will be self-funding, but where does this top-up fee fit into that?

 

[Jessbow]

Self funding,he will be responsible for 100% of the fees, not surewhere a top up comes into play - topping up what?
please ask the placement to explain. Dto A is usually free for a set number of weeks- you dont normally top that up either
DONT SIGN ANYTHING that you are not sure about

 

[nitram]

Top ups have to be third party, they cannot come out of Dad's finances.

It looks as if the home are trying to obtain a top up for D2A placement contract with the ICP/LA

Don't sign anything.

 

[Bettusboo]

Sounds like someone has made a mistake assuming he’s LA funded. They tend to charge more for self funded care than they charge to LAs but don’t think it would be expressed in that way. Don’t sign.

 

[Haziebear]

Dad has gone into residential care following several weeks in hospital, currently on a Discharge to Assess status pending care and financial assessments by his local authority.

My brother and I have been given contract to sign by the care home mentioning a payment of £20 per week top-up fee.

Can this come out of Dad's finances?

He is over the threshold so will be self-funding, but where does this top-up fee fit into that?

You do not have to pay any top up fees be it above or below the threshold. Do not sign.

 

[SAP]

D2A placements are funded by social care therefore any contracts go to them. As above , don’t sign and ask for clarity.

 

[RnK136]

Thank you so much everyone! So helpful ♥
And NO then, I'm not signing it. Will ask more questions of LA and the care home about this.

 

[Kapow]

Dad has gone into residential care following several weeks in hospital, currently on a Discharge to Assess status pending care and financial assessments by his local authority.

My brother and I have been given contract to sign by the care home mentioning a payment of £20 per week top-up fee.

Can this come out of Dad's finances?

He is over the threshold so will be self-funding, but where does this top-up fee fit into that?

From my own experience...my husband's top up fees were originally £30 per month,the care home stated this was "extra" to pay because his room had an en suite toilet...fast forward the next year,top up fees became£60 per month,even though I had requested my husband be moved to a room with no en suite toilet,which they did many months before.I asked the council to be reassessed,and this was carried out,but of
course,this does not help me as they only reassessed my husband's care fees.Cut a long story short,the fees went up from £60 to £120 a month...this time I said no,not paying them,what do they represent.Turns out the care home can only charge a top up fee if there has been an upgrade of some sort in the room,and there hadn't...now in process of claiming back the top up fees from when my husband was moved from the en suite room to one without...You are not responsible for a top up fee,and if you refuse to pay,the local council HAVE to pay it.

 

[canary]

You are not responsible for a top up fee,and if you refuse to pay,the local council HAVE to pay it.

Top-up fees are voluntary and you dont have to pay them, but the local authority doesnt HAVE to pay it - they may decide that the person with dementia would have to move to another home where top-up fees are not required.

 

[Kapow]

Top-up fees are voluntary and you dont have to pay them, but the local authority doesnt HAVE to pay it - they may decide that the person with dementia would have to move to another home where top-up fees are not required.

They do have to pay it,they cannot move the person to a cheaper home because that would be detrimental to their mental health.

 

[canary]

They do have to pay it,they cannot move the person to a cheaper home because that would be detrimental to their mental health.

The LA may, or may not, accept this argument. It is about the only reason they may decide to pay the extra, but it is not a given

 

[try again]

Is it maybe for personal spends like toiletries and hair/nail cutting? Seems a very small amount

 

[Dave63]

Care home top-up fees: Do you really have to pay? | Care To Be Different

Independent Age's report, 'Care home top-up fees: the secret subsidy', shows why many top-up fees should not be charged and why councils should pay instead

caretobedifferent.co.uk