What if you can't pay third party top-up fee?

lilyboo2

Has anyone had any recent experience of tackling the issue of “thirdparty top up fees”? We have a very complicated case involvingre my mother. Briefly, she was turned out of her original home becausewe were complaining about her care. They packed her up and sent her to theirsister home - a dementia unit .My mother was not assessed to be in sucha unit and Social Services were not told about her move. She was very distressed by themove and her new surroundings. After 3 weeks in the Dementia Unit, wefound her a new home and contacted SS to inform them. We were told that theywould meet all the fees. We had nothing in writing and my mother was not visitedby them; conversations were over the phone. We moved my mother into the newhome. Three months later SS finally made contact to make an assessment of herneeds and my sister was asked to sign a form re paying a top up fee. Scared thatthis would affect my mother’s stay in the home (our mother was now veryhappy and settled), she signed the form not realising the full implication. She(our family) does not have the means to pay the top up fee it, but was confidentthat SS would meet the cost as we were told initially. We have written severalletters to SS about my Mum’s fees asking SS to meet the cost as we were toldinitially. The third party bill for my mother is mounting; we’re being pursed forthe money and have been told that my mother will have to move to a moreaffordable home. Our mother has become increasing frail and we feel that a movewill be detrimental. Any advice would be most helpful as we’re becoming verystressed and angry by the situation. Would appreciate any advice on what to do. Thanks

atush

This is the pensions forum. This is a health/benefits enquiry and you need a different forum.

Hopefully , the SS office you called will have (as tends to be policy) recorded the call so do ask.

lilyboo2

Thanks for your reply. I will change the thread