Third Party Top Up Financial Assessment

Benefits, finances and funding
1

My Mum, in care home, has been self funding for just over a year.
I requested a care and financial needs assessment be carried out by local authority.
Having initially turned us down, the case went back to panel and was approved.
I have just been sent a letter about third party top ups and a financial assessment form asking about my finances as part of a sustainability assessment.

I stress I am happy to pay the top up. I want to keep Mum where she is in what I consider a good home. She has settled very well there. It is my choice to pay top up as I do not want her moved.
However I am not happy disclosing my financial situation to people I have never met. This breaches my privacy and data protection. My own husband does not know what savings I have nor do I know his. Why should I share very personal information like this. I am happy to sign the contract they have sent me which basically says if I default they reserve the right to move Mum. I think this should be enough. Council say it is a legal requirement imposed by the Govt but I have been told by someone who is quite knowledgable in this field that that is not the case and if you sign the contract that should be the guarentee in itself. If someone can advise I would be grateful. It’s kept me awake several nights already.

2
3

Hi Diane.

( First mentioned in your earlier thread … 8 May 2018 … still not sorted ? https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support-and-advice/carer-disability-benefits/carers-allowance-stopping-when-pension-starts-33123?p=380073#p380073
Last posting on that thread … mine … an analogy … does that still apply now ? )

AGE UK … top up fees … one of the true bibles out there :

What are care home top-up fees? | Age UK

__

Care home top-up fees

If your choice of care home accommodation costs more than your local council is willing to pay, someone else can make up the difference between that figure and the home’s fee. This is known as a third party top-up fee.

Added bonus of local offices , an online chat facility , and several ways to contact them.
Have a good read … and then return to us here on the forum for any further assistance / guidance.

( I have assumed that CHC / NHS Continuing Healthcare is not a factor here ? )

4

Thanks for taking the time to reply and tracing back through my previous posts.

The Independent Age link makes interesting reading but does not actually answer my question which is have the local authority got a legal right to ask for the third party’s financial details?

CHC is not applicable in my Mum’s case Chris.

I have called Age UK and they said they will put me in touch with a trained advisor.

If I sign the contract I am agreeing to the stated penalties i.e my Mum is moved to cheaper accomodation. I am willing to sign it.

5

Thanks Diane … your more than welcome.

Always best to seek advice from the experts out there.

In this instance , AGE UK.

What they don’t know … or not had experience of … is not worth knowing.

To sign or not to sign … that is the question … for AGE UK to answer.

Same again as to who has what right to any third party financial information.

( CHC / NHS Continuing Healthcare … NO top up fees once that’s been approved ! )

6

So remember these 5 points about top-up fees – regardless of where the care is being provided:
1.They should only be charged if a person is receiving a genuine upgrade in the services they’re receiving.
2.The family must give informed consent before any top-up fees are charged.
3.Top-up fees are voluntary.
4.They are the exception – not the general rule.
5.They should not be requested from families to plug the gap in local authority funding

in full on this link

x

7

REFUSE TO FILL IN ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION.
The LA is unlawful in even asking!