A man has hit out at a care home’s fees after being informed his parents will have to pay more than £9,000 a month for their care.
Trevor Riley’s step-mum and father, who wish to remain anonymous, live at Pendle Brook Care Home in Oswaldtwistle. Trevor, 59, received an email last month from the care home to inform him that payments are going up by another 13%, after a price increase just last year.
He says 15 months ago his father was paying £3,400 a month and four months later the price increased to £3,808 a month. This month his father and step-mum will have to fork out an eye-watering £4,600 each, totalling £9,200.
Rochcare, which runs Pendle Brook Care Home, says they sympathize with their clients. They say they are doing all they can to keep their prices as low as possible during the cost of living crisis and following the decline of publicly funded social care.
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Trevor said: “My parents do get upset about the cost but they have to live in care. They have no choice. You would like to think that after working hard all of your life you would be able to use that money for yourself or to leave for your children. I could move my dad to another care home that may be cheaper but he may not seen any benefit and then there is the upset of moving him.”
His father worked as a mechanic while his step-mum made a living from office and clerical work. The couple from Accrington do not claim benefits and are using their own hard-earned savings to pay the hefty fees. Their care home costs includes food and the care they receive, but they have to pay for their own clothing and toiletries.
Trevor’s father began living in the care home in December 2022 and his step-mum joined him 12 months ago. Trevor continued: “If someone told me the rates of care homes and I wasn’t aware I would think surely that’s not true.
“But after doing my research and speaking with others who have parents in care homes, it is the going rate. Elderly people just don’t want to go into care homes because they want to leave an inheritance for their children which they would not be able to afford to do when paying care home fees.
“They would rather sit at home and risk having an accident.
“Once they are left with no savings then their pensions contribute to care home fees and the Government pays for the shortfall.” Trevor says he is not in a financial position to help out his parents, who are in their 80s, if they need it with the cost of living skyrocketing as well as inflamed mortgage rates.
A spokesperson for Rochcare said: “In response to the recent increase in costs for our services, we understand the frustration of our clients and we sympathize with the ongoing increasing cost of living crisis that many are facing.
“We would like to reassure you that the decision to increase the prices is never made lightly. It will come as no surprise to many that the increase in UK prices, combined with a squeeze on income, is impacting nearly every sector, not least the care home industry. The decline of publicly funded social care does not help alleviate the pressure.
Care homes across the UK are all affected by these issues and have increased fees to cope.
“We continuously strive to provide the best services at the most competitive prices and we are doing our best to keep our prices as low as possible in what is an unprecedented time of financial upheaval. However the ongoing energy crisis, Interest rates, rising food costs and increased wages for our staff have unfortunately had a knock-on effect. We are continually looking for ways to reduce costs and increase value.
“We thank our customers for their continued support and understanding.”
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
