Residential homes or private nursing homes offer accommodation and care; either short-stay care or sometimes long-stay. Your GP, district nurse, home care team or social worker can arrange this for you. Availability of care varies from one area to another and may take some time to organise.

You may be able to claim NHS funding for the nursing care that you receive in a residential or private nursing home. An assessment is carried out by a team of health and social care professionals to decide whether you are entitled to funding. The team includes a doctor, social worker or care manager and a registered nurse. Funding is provided for ‘nursing care' and not ‘personal care' such as bathing, feeding and dressing.

If your friend or relative goes into a residential or nursing home for respite care, and they are expected to stay less than a few weeks, they will not need to have a full assessment. Funding will be granted due to the need for respite care.

The assessment and funding should happen automatically. You will be given information about the amount of funding that is being provided and how to request a review if you are not happy with it. Funding may vary depending on where you live.

If you do not want the NHS to be involved in the care of your friend or relative you should tell the home coordinator. The funding will be paid directly to the care home. Funding for residential or nursing home care should not affect other benefits or allowances that are being paid. However, this may depend on the ill person’s circumstances. It is a good idea to get information and advice from a social worker.

Lists of local registered care homes and details of registered nursing homes are available from your local social services department and your area health authority. You can get information about finding a nursing home and related issues to consider on the Nursing Home Fees Agency website at www.nhfa.co.uk