Care Home Fees & Finances

If you care for an elderly person and are wondering about care home costs in Scotland, you’ll have lots of questions. At our care homes, we find people are often concerned about their ability to pay and what happens long term. So here are the answers to some frequently asked questions around care home fees and finance.

How do people pay for care home fees in Scotland?

Care home provision in Scotland is person-centred, highly individualised, and local to each person and situation. Care is paid for in two main ways: through government funding and through private funding. For most people, it’s a mix. If the elderly person has assets such as pensions, property or savings, these will contribute to the cost of care. How much you contribute depends on several factors which are individual to you, your needs and your ability to pay. 

Note: the Scottish government makes a considerable contribution to elderly care, and provides a safety net if your personal funds are limited. There is no question of an elderly person being moved from a Mansfield Care Group home if funds run out. We guarantee you lifelong continuity of high-quality care. 

How do I find out the cost of care?

Your starting-point is to get a care needs assessment. This is offered free by your local council social services, in partnership with the NHS. This assessment will help determine your needs, whether you require nursing care or residential care, or have other needs such as dementia care. The care needs team will also give you an indication of the costs and available support in your area. Most care homes in Scotland, including Mansfield Care Group homes, are funded by a mix of private and public money. It’s vital to get this initial overview and understand the relationship between government and private support, as it will provide reassurance and inform your decision-making. 

How can I cut private care home costs?

Private care home costs can seem high, so it’s important to know that not everything is paid for straight from your own pocket. Some costs are already met in other ways. For example, your state pension will go towards care home costs. So will any work pensions, personal pensions, and widow’s pensions. Special medical entitlements may also be provided by the Scottish government. These contributions will reduce the direct cost to you. 

It’s also worth bearing in mind that we provide residents with an all-inclusive residential care home package. With a few minor exceptions, there are no extra or hidden costs for food, outings and personal services, for example. So people often find that once this is taken into account, their personal contribution is more manageable than they thought. 

Do I still get a state pension if I’m in a residential care home?

Yes, you will still receive your state pension. However, if some of your care home fees are paid by the local authority, you may have to contribute to this from your state pension. You will always be left with a weekly personal expenses allowance, but note that we operate a cash-free system and provides an all-inclusive care package. So once your payment schedule is in place, you won’t need to deal with personal expenses on a day-to-day basis. 

Can I still claim benefits while I’m in a residential care home?

Yes, it’s possible to continue claiming some benefits while living in a residential care home. You can also make a new claim for certain benefits, such as Personal Independence Allowance and Attendance Allowance, while living in a care home. This is highly individual and needs to be discussed with your care team, as part of your ongoing care needs assessment. 

Do I need to sell my parent’s home to pay for care?

If your parent doesn’t have enough savings or pension to meet their care home costs, then in some situations, you may need to help them sell their home. This is a complex decision, depending on a number of factors, including who lives with them in the house, and whether they are incapacitated. The local council has discretion on whether they need to take this step, and any decision will take account of their individual situation and care needs. If it turns out they need to sell their house to pay for care fees, then the local council can offer options such as deferred payment, where they cover the cost and claim it back once the house is sold. 

Note that some people try to reduce their assets (“deprivation of capital”) so that they fall below the threshold and don’t need to contribute to care home fees. This is sometimes seen as a way of protecting an inheritance. However, councils are increasingly stringent about penalising this practice and there is no time limit on transferral of the asset (for example, leaving the house to your family). So we do not advise this and strongly suggest you take legal advice. 

What if we or our parent run out of funds to pay for care?

If your personal funds run out, your care at our Mansfield Care Group homes will continue as usual. We guarantee lifelong continuity of care, and no resident will ever lose their care home place with us because they are no longer paying privately. Nor will you or your elderly relative see any difference in the level of care. Our care staff have no knowledge of how residents pay for their care, or whether the funding situation has changed. It simply means that our administrative team liaise closely with the local authority to arrange continuation of payment. A Mansfield Care Group home commitment to your loved one is for life, whether for the last few months of their life, or for several years. 

Where can I find advice on financial planning for care? 

Thorntons Wealth combines extensive financial expertise with a thorough understanding of the care industry, offering essential support to those in need. For professional independent advice and more details, visit their website here.