Personal and Nursing Care in a Care Home

If you are aged 65 or over and living in a care home which you pay for yourself, and you are assessed as having personal or nursing care needs, your Local Authority can provide a flat rate payment for the Personal and Nursing Care component of your care home fees.  People of all ages can receive payments for nursing care if they have been assessed as requiring that service.

This means that you will only be liable to contribute towards your accommodation and living costs in the care home (the 'residential' component of your care home fees).   Payments for personal and nursing care are only part of the care home fees.

Rates from April 2012:

• £163 for personal care
• £74 for nursing care

 

These payments for personal and nursing care are paid directly to the care provider on your behalf by the Local Authority but only after an assessment of your care needs has been carried out and a contract is in place between the Local Authority and the provider.  Payments for personal and nursing care will only start once the contract is in place, and there is no requirement for the Local Authority to backdate these payments to the date you moved into the care home; this is set out in the  Free Personal and Nursing Care Guidance.

If you choose to receive the payment for the Personal Care Component of your care home fees, you will no longer be eligible for Attendance Allowance after 28 days and you must inform the Department of Work and Pensions of your change in circumstances by phoning 08457 123 456.

last updated 17/04/2012