Care home fees

es26

Hi. My dad's been living in a care home for the past couple of years and late last year his savings dwindled to zero. I'd contacted the local council six months before his savings were due to run out - I'd hoped that would be enough time for them to carry out all their assessments, etc. However, they didn't get round to putting funding for his fees in place until the point at which his savings had actually run out (very stressful for us!). 

I'm now in the process of trying to get a reimbursement of his fees - I've read on various websites that the lower threshold is £14,250, but the council carried out their calculations and said they would reimburse only just over £8,000. I've contacted them several times over the two weeks since, but not received a reply.

Am I right in thinking that the final £14,250 of my dad's savings should all be reimbursed? Some council websites (I've looked at several at random) state clearly that that amount will remain untouched and not considered in any calculation, yet others are more ambiguous. He's got a private as well as a state pension and was receiving attendance allowance up to the point at which the council started paying his fees.

If anyone can enlighten me, that'd be great! Thanks in advance.

elsien

He should not be paying anything on savings below the 14250 however his income would still go towards the fees aside from the £30 a week personal allowance - was that happening? If not, the discrepancy might be income he should have been paying which has been knocked off the savings? There is also the tariff between 14 and 23K for the local authority to take into account, with regards to savings.

if you want to look up clearer information, have a look at the age UK website with their more detailed fact sheet on paying for residential care.

I would ask the local authority for a clear breakdown as to how they have arrived at that figure then make a formal complaint if you disagree once you’ve seen their workings out.

Keep_pedalling

Things should have changed once his savings fell to £23k at which point his contribution should have been income based with any savings over £14,250 being treated as deemed income.

Impossible to say whether the LA calculations are correct or not without knowing what his income is and at what point his savings fell below £23k. When savings hit £23k he would have been overpaying, but I assume once the savings run out he was paying nothing.

es26

Thanks very much to both of you for your comments. Having looked at the Age UK website, I'm even more doubtful about the LA's figures - but getting an answer out of them is like trying to get blood out of a stone!