These are for people whose capital is below the lower limit. This applies to private and voluntary care homes.

You'll pay additional charges sometimes called top-up fees if your local council pays for your care home fees but you choose to stay in a care home that charges more than the council's standard rate.

Standard rates

From 11 April 2022 standard rates for publicly funded service users are:

• £832.10 a week for nursing care
• £719.50 a week for residential care

Local councils are required to set rates for the care homes they own and manage at a rate equal to the actual cost of providing accommodation and care.

Your choice of care home

You can choose a care home that charges above your local council's standard rate, but you or a third party, like a relative, friend or charity will have to pay the difference between the price the council would usually expect to pay and the actual cost.

For more information, see additional charges for care homes

If you have capital above the upper limit this means you pay care home fees yourself, the amount you pay is a contractual matter between you and the care home provider.

Before you enter the care home, you should be given a contract which sets out what will be provided and how much it will cost.

For more information, see contracts with care homes

Further information

The payment of care home fees is a complex subject and depends on many things which are unique to you.

If you want detailed information or personal advice, ask an experienced independent adviser like:

Citizens Advice Scotland – phone 0800 028 1456, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Age Scotland – its fact sheets have information on paying for care homes, or call their helpline on 0800 12 44 222.