Care Home Fees Solicitors

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The subject of care home fees is of great concern to many people. With a nursing home’s average weekly cost ranging between £1,000 and £2,000, it’s easy to understand why. Planning now for how you will manage care home fees can give you peace of mind for the future.

Care home funding is quite complicated, and when somebody moves into care, lots of different parties can become involved. Incorrect decisions can go unnoticed or unchallenged, leading to expensive mistakes. It is vital that you understand the system from the outset and are kept fully informed about what is going on.

Having expert advice and assistance from Wills, Probate and Estate planning solicitors can save you worry, time, and finances. Paying for care home fees does not have to be stressful, our skilled team can help you to protect your estate and ensure that you have provisions for your care, including:

Guiding you through how care home fees are assessed
Protecting your assets from care home costs
Advising on whether you may be eligible for CHC or other funding
Challenging decisions on care home funding

Contact our care home fees solicitors in Leeds and London

If you would like guidance with care home fees, call us at 0800 988 7756, or contact us by using the simple enquiry form on this page. We have care home fees solicitors in Leeds, Moortown, London who are ready to provide reassuring, professional advice.

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Why choose our solicitors to deal with your care home fees?

Our team is made up of specialist solicitors with many years of experience in advising on care home fees. The department is headed by Andrew Milburn who is a member of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) and is an accredited member of The Association of Lifetime Lawyers. All of our solicitors are Dementia Friends.

Our team has been nationally recognised as leaders in their field, earning Highly Commended in the Private Client Team of the Year: Wills and Probate category at the Modern Law Private Client Awards 2023. We are also proud winners of the prestigious Private Client Team of the Year: Boutique award at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2023.

Our care home fees services

Guiding you through how care home fees are assessed

Understanding how care home fees are calculated is crucial to inform your decision making. By understanding how care home fees are assessed, you can take proactive and strategic steps towards organising your estate effectively and identify any mistakes or unfairness in your financial commitments.

Our care home fees solicitors can explain the financial assessment process, including how savings, income, care home fees and property are taken into account. They will consider all eligible disregards and advise on any exemptions, assist with documentation, and help you avoid costly mistakes.

Protecting your assets from care home costs

The cost of care home fees can significantly impact your financial security and ability to pass assets on to loved ones. There are strategies to protect your assets from being undermined or eroded by care home fees, and our solicitors can help.

Care home fee planning strategies are key to protecting your property, savings, and investments. This could include trusts, property ownership structures, or deferred payment agreements. Levi solicitors will ensure that your assets are protected when you’re facing financial obligations to a care home.

Advising on whether you may be eligible for CHC or other funding

Some individuals might qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) or other alternative funding options, which can cover the payment of care home fees in full or partially.

Our solicitors can assess your situation, explain the strict eligibility criteria, and guide you through the application process. They also review other funding sources, helping you to maximise financial support and reduce the impact of paying care home fees.

Challenging decisions on care home funding

If you believe that the local authority or NHS has made the wrong decision about your funding eligibility, our solicitors can help you challenge it. We will review your case for errors or omissions, gather supporting evidence, and present a strong appeal.

Whether you’re looking to dispute a financial assessment for care home fees or challenge the refusal of CHC funding, our experts can greatly improve your chances of a successful outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions about care home fees

Who pays for care home fees?

The responsibility for paying care home fees will depend on your individual circumstances, such as savings, income, and property ownership. Local authorities may conduct a financial assessment for care home fees in order to determine how much you may need to contribute.

If your assets are above a certain threshold, you will be expected to cover the cost of care home fees yourself. Conversely, if your assets fall below the lower threshold, then a local authority may fund your care to some or all extent.

Will the NHS pay for my care home fees?

In most cases, the NHS will not pay for general residential care costs, unless you have ongoing or complex health needs. In that case, you may be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC), which funds the full payment of care home fees. This is based on your medical condition, and can be a valuable route for avoiding care home fees.

Can I avoid selling my house to pay for care home fees?

Yes, it is possible to keep your home while paying care home fees. If a partner, spouse, or dependent lives in your home, then the property could be disregarded in the financial assessment for care home fees, or you could explore options such as deferred payment agreements with your local authority. Proper care home fee planning could allow you to preserve assets whilst meeting obligations.

Can I put my house in trust to avoid care home fees?

Whilst trusts can be a method used in avoiding care home fees, local authorities have the power to challenge any arrangements that they consider to be a deliberate deprivation of assets. If they believe that your house was placed in a trust to avoid the cost of care, then its value may still be included in your financial assessment for care home fees.

How do I challenge a local authority's care home fee assessment?

If you disagree with a local authority’s financial assessment, you may be able to request a review or appeal the decision. Common grounds include a failure to consider disregards, incorrect asset valuation, or errors in calculating the payment of care home fees.

You may also challenge the financial assessment for care home fees if you believe that your care needs qualify for NHS funding. Professional help with care home fees ensures that you present strong evidence and are able to navigate the appeals process effectively.

What is the difference between residential and nursing care fees?

Residential care covers meals, accommodation, and personal care, and so costs vary depending on services offered and location. Meanwhile, nursing care also includes 24-hour support from registered nurses, which increases the cost of care home fees. The NHS may contribute towards nursing costs through the Funded Nursing Care payment, which can reduce the overall payment of care home fees.

What inheritance tax implications are there with care home fees?

Care home fees and property can affect the value of your estate for inheritance tax purposes. If your assets are reduced as a result of the payment of care home fees, then this may lower your estate’s value and reduce inheritance tax liability.

However, deliberate asset transfers that are suspected of being a means to reduce paying care home fees might be challenged by local authorities. If you want to lower the cost of care, our experts can help you with strategic care home fee planning to manage both care costs and inheritance tax considerations.

Do I need a solicitor to help with care home fee disputes?

Having professional help with care home fees can save you stress and finances. Our expert solicitors in care home fees and property issues can minimise the impact of fees on your estate and lives, safeguard your long-term interests, reduce the risk of disputes, and guide you through making challenges to local authority assessments, applications for funding, and strategic asset planning, whilst ensuring you are fully compliant with the law.

Contact our care home fees solicitors in Leeds and London

If you would like guidance with care home fees, call us at 0800 988 7756, or contact us by using the simple enquiry form on this page. We have care home fees solicitors in Leeds, Moortown and London who are ready to provide reassuring, professional advice.