Has anyone challenged nursing home fees?

[Scarletohello]

Ok my mum had a stoke 4 years ago which left her paralysed, unable to speak or swallow food. She is in a nursing home and fed with a peg in her stomach. Initially the NHS were paying for her care but she was subsequently reassessed and we were told that since she was ' stable' that now all she needed was care not nursing and so we would have to pay for her care which is £3k a month. It seems inherently unfair and I wondered if anyone else had been in a similar position and had successfully challenged the fees and if so how did they go about it?

Any advice gratefully received. Did go to Age UK but they weren't very helpful...

I haven't but I'm about to - having just paid a bill of 37.5 GRAND for six months care for my parents in law...... both of whom have dementia - I knew the bill would be big but honestly, me and DH couldn't breathe when they told us....

but back to you - your mum's needs sound like nursing care - I would ask for her to be reassessed

and YOU are not liable for her care fees - she is, if she has a property to sell or assets over £23,250. Make sure you complete a financial assessment form for her.

Thanks for that and sorry to hear about your parents. My dad has dementia and is blind. I've spent the last year trying to look after him but he's going to go into a care home next week as I can't cope with it anymore. Do you know how you go about getting a reassessment? X

have you asked the local authority for a financial assessment?

Not sure on what basis you are challenging them? Do you think that she still qualifies for fully funded NHS care (she may well do) or do you not feel that she should have to pay for it all and the local authority should be contributing?

Not many do challenge the fees but you really should. Local authorities pay about £350 pound a day for a fully funded bed (around 10k a month). Why should someone who has to pay for their own care have to pay 4 times that amount for EXACTLY the same standard of care. It's criminal, not only are you overpaying for your own care but you subsidize everyone else who can't afford to pay it.

Do you live in a City? - try and get some quotes off other nursing homes and drive the price down.

You mean a week I think rpitchfo

yes sorry a week.