Care homes

Overview Types of care home Choosing to stay in a care home Getting a place in a care home Arranging your own place in a care home Find out more about the care home What to look for Care home costs Moving to a care home on a temporary basis Moving to a care home in a different area of Scotland Cross-border rules Further information

Moving to a care home on a temporary basis

You may move into a care home for a short time:

• for a trial period to see if you like it
• to recover from an illness
• before you move somewhere more suitable, like sheltered housing
• to give someone who cares for you a break

If your stay is for up to 52 weeks, it’s classed as temporary. This should be agreed between you, the care home and the council before you move into the care home.

If the council assesses you as needing temporary care in a care home, it doesn’t have to carry out a financial assessment for eight weeks, although it can do so.

The council can ask you to pay towards the costs by applying the financial assessment to you.

Or the council will ask you to pay a ‘reasonable’ amount for the first 8 weeks, after which it will do a financial assessment. However, it should ignore the value of your property and your financial commitments – like mortgage payments – if you plan to return home and need to keep paying housing-related expenses.

If you’re not happy with the amount you’ve been charged, ask for a review.

If you’re in a care home for respite care regularly – for example, 1 week in every 6 weeks – your council will decide whether to give you a financial assessment or charge you a ‘reasonable’ amount for your weeks in respite care.