Funded Nursing Care causing care home fee increase

running_girl375

I’m hoping for some help with Funded Nursing Care payments. My mother-in-law is in a care home, but is NOT eligible for FNC (the care home thought she would be eligible, but the CQC decided she isn’t). The monthly fee we pay is calculated by taking the resident contribution (GBP1000) plus the FNC (GBP165) - this gives the gross amount we pay each month (GBP1165). If my mother-in-law had been eligible for the FNC we would only pay the residents contribution (GBP1000), and the FNC would be deducted from our fee. But she’s not eligible for the FNC so we pay the full monthly gross fee (GBP1165). What this means in practice is that when the FNC was increased in April 2020 to GBP183 from GBP165 our monthly fee also increased by 20 quid to GBP1183. Is this usual practise for care homes? It seems unfair that a payment that should ease care home costs actually increases it, especially when it is a contribution that we’re not eligible for. We were also not informed in writing of this change and only realised when we requested copies of our invoices. Any advice, or guidance of where to go for further help would be appreciated. Thanks

[Deleted User]

Basically its a minefield, did you appeal against the original decision? I can see why one increasing would make the other increase but tbh I'm not sure where you would get the best help on this, I suspect it might not be here.

teddysmum

Before you paid £1000 for residence etc and £165 for nursing care that is not covered by the free nursing benefit, so £1165.
Now the nursing cost element has risen but the residence part hasn't, staying at £1000 so the £1183 only reflects an increase in the nursing fee.