My relative has been asked to pay a 'third party top-up' toward the cost of my care home fees. Is this correct?
All council Social Services departments in England have a duty to allow an older person to choose which care home they would like to live in, provided this can meet their needs and provided they meet the appropriate standards of care set by the government.
If you prefer to move to a care home which is more expensive than the one that your local council Social Services has found for you, or which is more expensive than their standard rate, but which has a vacancy and can meet your individual assessed needs in full, you will be asked to find a third party top-up to pay the difference in cost. This means that a relative or friend will need to sign an agreement stating that they will pay the difference between what the care home charges and the council agree to pay. Local councils should not routinely ask for a top up towards the cost of care home fees.
Click here for information on third party top-ups in Scotland and how they are applied in Wales.
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