Who needs to pay?
Everyone in a care home contributes to the costs of the accommodation.
Your financial contribution will be based on an assessment of your income and any savings, investments and property you own. If you have savings, investments and property valued at more than £35,000 you will be self-funding and responsible for the full cost of your care home fees, less any entitlement to Free Personal Care or Free Personal Care and Nursing Care payments.
Self-Funding your Care Home
If the Local Authority assesses you as needing to live in a care home, you will receive a weekly payment from the Scottish Government towards your care fees. These are called Free Personal Care or Free Personal Care and Nursing Home payments.
Choosing a care home: Self-Funding
Self-Funding people can choose any care home they want to go to. However, you should be aware of the following:
- You should check the cost of the care home before accepting a place to ensure that you can afford to move there. Rates can vary between homes.
- You will need to work out how long you can afford to stay in the home. Some homes need you to prove you have enough money to cover the care fees for three to five years.
Self-funding Free Personal and Nursing Care Payments
If we assess you as eligible for Free Personal Care and/or Nursing Care payments, these will be paid when the social work assessment is completed.
These amounts for the financial year 2024/2025 are:
| Your Care Home Type | Amount Received |
|---|---|
| Nursing | £360.60 |
| Residential | £248.70 |
The Health and Social care Partnership will pay this to the care home and not directly to you. This amount will be deducted from the final cost of your weekly placement.
If you are Self-Funding and your financial situation changes while you are in the care home, we advise you to request a reassessment of your finances at the earliest opportunity by emailing: adultsocialcare@westlothian.gov.uk (opens new window)
Local Authority funding
If your savings and investments are less than £35,000 we will assess your financial circumstances to determine your contribution towards the cost of the care home.
We will ask you to complete a financial assessment form to calculate your contribution. You can ask someone else to fill in the form, but your Power of Attorney or Financial Guardian will need to sign it to confirm the information is accurate.
Your financial contribution will be based on:
- Your income
- Any property you own
- Any savings and investments you have
- How much capital you have
- The care home you choose
West Lothian Advice Shop usually completes the financial assessment, and in some cases the Social Worker or Community Care Co-ordinator allocated to your case. You will need to provide copies of:
- Bank and building society statements
- Evidence of any, income, capital or investments
- The terms and conditions of any trusts
- Documents about any Power of Attorney or Financial Guardian.
We will review your charges every year to include any increases in costs or any changes to your income or savings. If you decide not to complete the financial assessment, you will be charged the full cost of your care less the Free Personal and/or Nursing Care payments.
Choosing a care home: Local Authority Funded residents
Local authority-funded people can choose a care home from a list of providers who accept our standard rates. These rates are normally based on the National Care Home Contract (NCHC). Most care homes in West Lothian accept the National Care Home Contract rates, although some private homes only accept self-funding residents. You can also look at care homes outside of West Lothian.
You can choose a more expensive care home, but you will need someone else willing to pay the extra costs (also known as a third-party top-up). The person willing to pay the extra costs will need to sign a written agreement confirming this and be willing to do this for the duration of your stay at the home. The allocated Social Worker or Community Care Co-ordinator can provide additional information on the payment of third-party top-ups.
Once you have chosen your care home, you will pay the home directly for any contribution you are assessed as required. West Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership will pay our assessed contribution directly to the care home.
Financial Assessment Thresholds:
The thresholds for Self-Funding and Local Authority assistance for 2024/2025 are in the table below. These are amounts set by the Scottish Government and change yearly:
| Your Savings | Do you own a property? | Funding Type |
|---|---|---|
| Below £21,500 | No | You will be Local Authority Funded and will contribute all your weekly income except your personal allowance of £34.50 a week. |
Between £21,500 and £35,000 | No | You will be Local Authority Funded and will contribute all your weekly income except your personal allowance of £34.50 a week. You will also pay £1 a week extra for every £250 or part of £250 you have between £21,500 and £35,000. The amount you pay will reduce as your savings reduce. When your savings reach £21,500 you will no longer pay a weekly charge from your savings but you will still pay a contribution from your income. |
Over £35,000 | Yes | You will be Self-Funding if you have capital, including property, which in total are above the upper threshold. You will receive your Free Personal and/or Nursing Care payment towards the cost of your care. You will be responsible for any remaining fees due to the care home. |
Informing the Department for Work and Pensions
Regardless of your funding status, when you move into a care home, you or your financial representative must advise the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) of the date of admission. The DWP will assess whether you are still entitled to the benefits that you are currently receiving and whether you are entitled to receive any additional benefits.
The DWP can be contacted on 0345 606 0265.