Paying for care: Expert on 'key thing’ to consider when self-funding your residential care

There are a whole host of care options out there, and the type one picks may come down to their needs and preferences, as well as affordability factors. Whether it’s for one’s own self or for a friend or family member, the decision is not one which will be made lightly, with the safety and happiness of the person requiring the care being key considerations.

“So consider service charges, add-ons; look how those charges changed in previous years so you can plan ahead if a particular care home increases their fees a certain amount each year.”

Mr Hill also stressed the importance of “really shopping around”.

“See what’s available in your location or maybe near where your family is to see what the different prices are,” he said.

“Prices can often vary noticeably so it’s well worth doing that: shopping around.”

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Mr Hill also highlighted the need to look into the expected future costs sooner rather than later, as seeking out the best value option in the future may not be so easy.

“There’s a really important point in terms of when you’re considering those options because once you’ve moved into a care home, because of health reasons, it can be really tricky potentially to move because of your personal circumstances and the knock on in terms of the health consequences,” he explained.

“It’s really important that you do your shopping around in advance.

“When you’ve got your family and friends in a really stressed position because you need, say, more intensive care, getting them to try and figure that out could lead to the wrong decision being made.