One in four older people paying top-up fees for ‘free’ care

More than one in four older people who quality for free residential care are having to pay top-up fees, according to new figures.

The analysis, from Laing & Buisson for Age UK, found that the number of people paying top-up care fees in local authority-funded accommodation has risen to 56,000. This is mainly due to local authorities changing their baseline fee rates.

Age UK’s charity director-general, Michelle Mitchell, said: ‘The underfunding of social care is having a disastrous impact on frail older people and their families.

‘A toxic mix of long term chronic underfunding and more recent austerity cuts to social care budgets is resulting in local authorities stretching their budgets and paying unfeasibly low fee levels to care homes.

‘This in turn undermines the residential care sector, forcing homes to cut costs.’

Age UK is warning that many residents are not offered accommodation which fits into a local authority’s baseline fee rate, which leaves them no choice but to top-up frees themselves or with help from family.