Care home fees fears grows among elderly

By Elliot Wright, 22nd January 2010

Families and carers are becoming increasingly concerned about older people's ability to pay care home fees, a report has found.

A quarter of all calls to Counsel and Care, a charity that works with older people to get the best care and support, were from individuals or their families concerned about how to pay their care home fees.

A massive 60% of these calls were from people paying care home fees without financial support from their local authority - typically those with over £23,000 in assets including their home.

Elderly people who require care in a residential home and possess less than £23,000 in savings receive an average contribution of £402.86 a week from their council towards care home fees. However, those who exceed the savings threshold have to pay the fees without any financial support, paying an average of £479 a week out of their own pockets.

The charity warned that the elderly and their families should be made aware of the true cost of care homes, particularly where an elderly person's mental health is deteriorating and is finding it difficult to make decisions.

Those who exceed the savings threshold have to pay care home fees without any financial support, paying an average of £479 a week out of their own pockets.

The report also highlighted that at least 90,000 older people with serious health needs pay for some or all of care in their own home - with some facing a charge of £455 a week.

Stephen Burke, Chief Executive of Counsel and Care, urged the government to answer the growing concerns and provide more information and support to the elderly and their families who face paying care home fees with little or no help from their local councils.

He said: "Doing nothing is not an option for the government in 2010. Universal information, advice and advocacy must become an integral part of the new care and support system."

Claims Financial