Nursing Homes & Top Up Fees

[yelenots]

My Mother has been in a nursing home for two and a half years now and I have been paying at £30 per week top up fee. This week I have received a letter from the home stating that this is increasing to £50 per week from the 1st Nov. I have been in and explained that I just cant afford to pay that much......its more than our mortgage!
I am so worried about it as I just don't know how I am going to find the extra £20 as both myself and husband only work part time. I don't want them to 'kick' her out if I don't pay it!

Does anyone know if the owner is allowed to put this fee up by so much? I would be happy to pay another £5 or £10 but I feel £20 is too much. I have told them this but, the only solution he came up with was to accrue a debt with him and when my mother's property is sold pay him but, as my mother already owes thousands I'm not happy about this.

Any advice will be greatly received! Thanks.

[bednobs]

hi, i hope tilly sees this thread - i have a feeling she had a similar problem to you. What do you pay the top up for? is it for extra services/superior room and so on? does your mum have mental capacity? If so can you ask her?

[gness]

Yelenots..is this privately owned nursing home or a council run one?

[factor-fiction]

Although it seems a huge percentage increase, it may be that the overall increase has been in line with RPI. If the normal cost was £630 (of which £600 was paid for you and you contributed £30) and the charge has gone to £650 that's only a 3.2% increase.

Tilly has been through this and may be able to help. But if she has a property, and the care is not NHS funded, it seems to me not reasonable that she should fund some of the cost.

[factor-fiction]

Sorry, I meant not UNreasonable.

[Tilly2]

Do you still have your Mum's house to sell?

[Tilly2]

yelenots, I will be back tomorrow to discuss this. Got to go for now.

[factor-fiction]

If it's taken as a loan the loan will continue for as long as she lives- hopefully a long time- and it'll be the estate that owes it when she does pass away. Your mum needn't regard it as her debt, nor is it yours, and it's not your responsibility to pay top up fees from your own current income

[yelenots]

Thanks for your replies.
My Mum has been in the nursing home for almost 2 and half years after suffering mini strokes. She was 90 last month and is deteriorating. She cannot do anything for herself. She does not really need medical care more personal care as its just 'old age'.......she spends most of her time asleep in bed.
It is a private nursing home and is self funding. She is already accruing a debt with the local authority as she has no savings only a retirement flat, which I am desperately trying to sell. She owes thousands and thousands :(

I understood from our council that it is 'my' responsibility to pay the top up fees.....my mother is not allowed to pay them - not that she can anyway!

She has a 'basic' small comfortable room, hardly eats/drinks anything at all and is obviously past being taken out on excursions.

Its just seem a 'big' increase all at once.....just going to have to pay it!

[bednobs]

hmm it seems very strange - if you weren't here, who would pay the top up? is it that you chose a home but it cost more than the SS maximum so it has to be topped up?? If someone is self funding, i don't get why they can't pay the top up themselves

[pixie373]

I don't understand at all why you're paying anything yourself. Who is paying the majority of her care? If she has no savings, is she getting the correct direct payments for her care?

[pixie373]

I'm quite confused, to be honest. She's in a nursing home, but doesn't need nursing care. It would be a shame to move her, but the other option would be to find a residential home (or nursing if she does need it) that's funded by Social Services. I guess the home can charge what they like.