Long-term care can be eye-wateringly expensive, and there are often lots of extra charges, so working out total overall monthly costs isn’t always easy.
Everyone’s care needs are different, and every care home has different fees and extras, so prices can vary considerably depending on the home you’ve chosen, as well as the individual circumstances of the person who needs care. If you or your loved one are receiving care at home, then costs are likely to be lower than in a residential home, but again actual costs will depend on the level of care required and whether it is needed for just a few hours a day or a live-in carer is required.
Here are some questions that might help you get to grips with the real cost of different types of care.
Contents
- What’s included in care home fees?
- What extra costs can add to care fees?
- Will I pay extra for a furnished room?
- Are there additional charges for internet access?
- Is insurance included?
- What is the staff to resident ratio?
- Which activities are covered by care fees?
- Is a deposit or advance payment required?
- Are fees reviewed each year?
- What are care home top-up fees?
- Are any fees payable after a resident’s death?
- A note on care fees
1. What’s included in care home fees?
Most care homes charge a regular fixed weekly fee that covers a range of services. Charity Age UK says that on average a person can expect to pay around £800 a week to live in a residential care home and £1,078 a week for a nursing home, although actual costs can often be much higher than this.
Generally, these fees include:
- Care staff and their support
- Private accommodation
- Housekeeping services
- Utilities
- Food
- Laundry
- Activities and events.
Some care homes split their fees into residential and care costs, whereas others will club them all together.
When it comes to receiving care at home, the fees and what’s included in them will vary considerably depending on the needs of the person receiving care, where you live, and the timing of the care calls. If you are uncertain at any point what the fees include, you should ask the care provider directly. They should provide you with a full breakdown of all the charges you’ll have to pay in writing.
2. What extra costs can add to care fees?
Different care homes and care providers include and exclude different things from their fees, but generally, the following will be charged as extra costs:
- Transport to appointments or other outings
- Additional facilities or entertainment, such as going to the cinema
- Takeaways
- Wifi
- Contents insurance
- Hair and beauty treatments
- Alcoholic drinks
- Outings
- Toiletries
- Appointments, such as chiropodists, podiatry and so on.
3. Will I pay extra for a furnished room?
Most people want to keep their creature comforts around them when they move into a care home, so lots of care providers offer their rooms unfurnished, although exactly what this means will vary from place to place.
For example, some care homes won’t include anything in the room at all, while others may provide TVs, phones and radios, so it’s worth checking what different care homes offer.
It’s also important to check whether there are any particular safety standards your own furniture might need to meet if you want to bring it with you. In most care homes, for example, if you move in any soft furnishings like a sofa or mattress, they will need to have current fire safety labels still attached, and you might not be able to keep it in your room if it doesn’t.
If you want the room to be furnished already, perhaps because a spouse or partner will be remaining in the family home, then you may pay extra for this. Whether you opt for a furnished or unfurnished room, there may be supplementary charges for things like lighting, heating, bed linen and laundry, so make sure you check whether you need to pay extra for these or if they’re already factored into the fees.
4. Are there additional charges for internet access?
Lots of care homes now offer Wifi as standard, but some will only provide it in common spaces, and not in resident’s rooms. It’s worth asking what level of internet access is available, and whether there are additional costs if you or a relative wants Wifi in your or their room.
5. Is insurance included?
Some care homes include the cost of contents insurance in their fees, whereas others will expect residents to organise this themselves. It’s also worth checking that if it’s included that it provides the level of cover that you or your loved one needs, or whether you’d prefer out your own policy anyway.
6. What is the staff to resident ratio?
While this isn’t strictly a question about cost, it’s one that could help you get a feel for the level of care that you or a loved one might get in return for the fees paid.
The exact ratio you’re looking for will depend on the needs of you or your loved one as well as the needs of other residents, but it’s worth asking the care home how many people are on hand to look after each resident.
You can also search for the care home on the Care Quality Commission website to find their most recent inspection report, which objectively highlights performance and whether there are enough staff working there to effectively deliver adequate care.
7. Which activities are covered by care fees?
Providing daily activities for residents is a regulatory requirement for all care homes, but what is on offer will vary considerably from place to place, so make sure to check what is and isn’t included in the weekly fees.
Some activities, such as exercise classes or crafts for example, are likely to be offered as an optional extra, and therefore may need to be paid for on an adhoc basis.
8. Is a deposit or advance payment required?
Much like renting a property, many care homes will ask that you pay a deposit or make an advance payment before you or your loved one can move into the property. The care home will let you know how much you need to pay, but it’s not unusual for them to ask for a deposit equivalent to between one and four weeks’ fees. Some care homes might also charge an administration fee, so make sure you ask about this.
9. Are fees reviewed each year?
Most care homes review their fees annually and this will normally see your charges increase, so it’s useful to understand when this will happen so you can plan for it.
The date of the review and the amount notice that the care home will give you of any increases will vary, but normally you must be given at least 28 days notice before your fees change.
Something else to bear in mind is that the care home will also continually assess the care needs of their residents, so your fees could also go up if your or your relative’s care needs increase.
10. What are care home top-up fees?
If you or a loved one is eligible for care funding either from the NHS or a local council, then it’s worth asking care homes how this will work in practice with the fees.
In the majority of cases funding is paid directly to the care home, but any additional costs, known as top-up fees, must be paid by the resident.
11. Are any fees payable after a resident’s death?
While it’s not something any of us want to think about, it’s worth knowing whether the care home will impose any charges when a resident passes away.
Again, every care home will manage this differently, but many care homes will stop care charges when someone dies, but may continue to charge accommodation fees until the resident’s room has been cleared of their possessions.
The care contract you or a loved one signed when they moved into the care home will outline the timeframes for clearing a room, but often this is around three days. If the family isnt able to clear the room within this time, then they can either request more time, or the care staff can clear the room, both of which will come at an additional cost.
If the care home fees were being paid for by the NHS or local authority, then they will usually cover three days of costs after the person has passed away.
If care costs were paid in advance, any unused fees should be refunded by the care home.
A note on care fees
Working out overall care costs can be really tricky, but if you’re ever unsure about anything, make sure you ask the care provider to clarify things for you.
You should also keep a copy of the care contract and/or the home’s terms and conditions that were signed at the outset, as this should clearly list the ins and outs of everything you might be expected to pay extra for.
If you’re unsure about how you’ll manage the cost of long term care, then it’s worth speaking to a professional financial advisor.
You can find a local financial advisor on VouchedFor or Unbiased, or for more information, check out our guide on How to find the right financial advisor for you.
It may also be worth contacting the Society of Later Life Advisers, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving accessibility to regulated financial advice for older people and their families.
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