Residential and nursing care
As with support delivered within the community the Council will charge for support provided in a residential/nursing home. Where the Council carries out a financial assessment for care and support provided in a residential setting, information and advice will be provided to enable the person to identify how best to pay their charge. This may include offering the person a Deferred Payment Agreement. The financial assessment will take account of the person's property, income and savings.
The Council can only pay towards the cost of residential / nursing care once a person has been assessed as having eligible needs that mean moving into residential / nursing care is the best option for them. If the person needs nursing care as part of their support within a residential home, the nursing element of care will be paid for by the NHS and is excluded from the Council’s charges.
If a person arranges to move into a residential home without having an assessment by the Council, and later asks for financial help with charges, the Council will determine whether the person meets the national eligibility criteria for social care support. If the person does meet the criteria, the Council will carry out a social care assessment and a financial assessment to establish whether financial support can be provided. If the outcome is that the person is eligible for financial support in residential care, the Council will contribute towards the cost of care from the date the financial assessment is completed and not from the date the person chose to move into the residential home.
For people who have been funding their own residential care and whose financial resources have reduced to the level at which they may qualify for Council support, the Council will consider entering into a contract with a care home from the date a Care Act Assessment is completed, at which time assistance with the funding may be provided following a full financial assessment — including all required evidence being provided. The Council will not backdate financial contributions to the date the person originally entered the residential home, nor to the date their capital fell below the threshold.
If a person cannot afford their chosen residential home and does not qualify for help from the Council, or for a Deferred Payment Agreement, the person will need to seek alternative arrangements such as moving to a residential home that is affordable. If customers are paying for their own care, the Council strongly advises seeking independent financial advice to ensure that customers will be able to afford the care they choose for the foreseeable future.