The cost of care homes

The cost of care homes depends on a number of factors, including the type of care required, the duration of your stay and the location. When choosing the right care home for you or a loved one, you will need to determine whether you need specialist medical facilities and if you require personalised nursing or residential care.

Once you have discussed your options and requirements, it’s important to figure out how you will fund your stay. There are several avenues available, including:

Self-funding

Firstly, there is the self-funding option. If a resident doesn’t want to undertake a financial assessment and can afford to do so, they can pay for the care themselves.

Depending on your financial situation, this could give you a lot of options when it comes to the care home you choose. With that in mind, it’s vital to do research into specific care homes to find one that offers exactly what you need.

Help from your council

If self-financing is not an option, you can apply for help from your local council. To do so, you will need to contact social services for care home funding. The council will then undertake a needs assessment. This helps determine what type of care you require and if you are eligible for financial help from the council.

The needs assessment is free, and anyone can ask for one. The outcome will depend on what care you need and how much you can already afford to pay. 

Help from your family

Another funding option may come from your family. If they are in a position to do so, they can help pay towards the cost of your care home and can even add to the money you may receive from the council. This is often referred to as a top-up fee.