top up fee to 117 aftercare funding

[rainbow25]

Good evening, I'm very confused and wondered if anyone can advise. My dad is under s117 aftercare so apparently will get funding for a LA care home of £600 pw.

I have seen a care home and am willing to pay a top fee . Can I use the state pension to meet the difference. I am getting conflicting advice as was told from care home that wherever he goes it will be taken away. If this is the case paying top up fees will be be incredibly difficult. Who makes the decision and on what criteria is it allowed to be taken away?

Many thanks
I

 

[nitram]

@rainbow25
s117 aftercare is analogous to being in hospital, DWP pension is kept although several benefits including AA are lost.
It can be used for top up.

 

[rainbow25]

Many thanks for your reply. I was told his state pension would be taken away. If he can keep it then I can afford to place him in a better care home than what LA has suggested.

As this care home isn't on their "list", I found this independently of SS, is there any reason for them not to agree with this? We are funding the difference...on what basis could they object?

Thanks again.

 

[nitram]

We are funding the difference...on what basis could they object?

His assessed needs would not be met - most unlikely if home will accept him.

Remember home fees could rise faster than CCG/LA tariff.

 

[rainbow25]

His assessed needs would not be met - most unlikely if home will accept him.

Remember home fees could rise faster than CCG/LA tariff.

Thank you, I did consider that. Although having spoken with the home they said they would read through all his records but it's unlikely he wouldn't be suitable.

I did think about rising care costs and i suppose I would pay through the sale of my parents house upon my mums passing if allowed?

I'm very concerned as what I've been shown isn't very suitable, poor cqc reports. It's feels wevare under immense pressure to just except anything. I don't know what happens if we keep refusing places? Are we subject to the private hospital fees or private care home fees? If that's the case, we can afford neither. This will be a stretch but just manageable with If state pension can be used.

 

[thistlejak]

I agree with @nitram about top up and state pension. Have you got POA or DWP appointeeship to deal with his pension?
MIL is on S117 and it pays about 75% of her fee, she pays the rest ( well we do as her Deputies). It appears to be the only time first party top up are allowed.
Has the home you have found said that they are likely to accept him? We were given a list of 8 suggestions and , of the 4 we thought might be suitable , only one would accept her. That said she is as happy as she can be there and is fed, hydrated, medicated and clean - something we had not managed at home for months.

 

[rainbow25]

I agree with @nitram about top up and state pension. Have you got POA or DWP appointeeship to deal with his pension?
MIL is on S117 and it pays about 75% of her fee, she pays the rest ( well we do as her Deputies). It appears to be the only time first party top up are allowed.
Has the home you have found said that they are likely to accept him? We were given a list of 8 suggestions and , of the 4 we thought might be suitable , only one would accept her.

hat said she is as happy as she can be there and is fed, hydrated, medicated and clean - something we had not managed at home for months.

 

[allchange]

Don't let them tell you that there is a limit. Any limit is their internal policy and not the law. The law is that they have to offer and fund a suitable placement. Let them find one for £600 a week first (highly unlikely that they will manage this, though not impossible), and challenge it as not in your dads best interests if it is too far away to visit or does not meet his needs. As mentioned above by another poster many homes will not take S117 clients anyway as they are often more challenging/have higher needs than the norm. Only consider paying a topup to get a substantially better home, not to subsidise your local authorities internal policies.

 

[canary]

@rainbow25
The care home that said that his pension would be taken is thinking about Local Authority funding, not 117. It makes me wonder how much experience they have of people on 117 funding, who usually have much higher needs. If you go for this home, make sure that they understand exactly what his needs are and ask them how they would manage them - woolly answers usually mean that they would not manage them properly. You do not want to move him there only for them to turn round in a few weeks saying that they cannot meet his needs and you will have to find another home.

 

[nitram]

I don't know what happens if we keep refusing places?

Probably a war of attrition with him being moved around and never getting a chance to settle.