Care home contracts

The importance of getting and understanding a contract

Once you’ve decided on a care home, you’ll need to sign a contract to agree terms. Before you sign, it’s essential to read the contract carefully and understand what you’re agreeing to.

Research we conducted in 2017 for our Care Needs Care Now campaign shows that too many care homes are failing to provide contracts when requested or are breaking the law by neglecting to ensure residents and families understand their terms and conditions. We contacted 50 care homes on behalf of a family member, requesting documents including a sample contract – but fewer than one in 10 provided the information.

Our investigators received four contracts – three of which included terms that could be considered unfair to residents, including charging fees for a month after death and the right to terminate a contract with 24 hours’ notice for undefined ‘detrimental behaviour’.

With this in mind, it’s important to know what should be in a good care home contract, things to look out for and what to do if you spot any problems.

Who will the contract be between?

The contract will be between the care home provider and whoever is paying for the care. There are three likely scenarios for payment.

• Self-funding: if the person you’re caring for is paying for their own care, the contract will be between them and the care home.
• Local-authority payment: if the local authority is funding your family member’s care, the contract will be between the local authority and the care home.
• Shared payment: if you or someone else is paying a top-up fee to the care home, there will be two contracts. One between whoever is paying the top-up and the local authority, and another between the local authority and the care home. Our information about third-party top-up fees gives more details about these contracts.

The information on these pages applies to contracts between care homes and consumers. If your loved one is responsible for signing the contract, it’s a good idea to go through the paperwork together. If you have a Power of Attorney, you might need to sign on behalf of your loved one. Our Power of Attorney guide explains the different types available, how they work and how to set one up.

What should the contract cover?

Care home providers are free to use whatever terms they consider reasonable. The law stipulates that terms should not be unfair. A care home contract should cover:

Unfair terms

If a term in a contract is unfair, it won’t be valid. A term may be deemed unfair if it gives the retailer (or service provider) more rights than whoever is paying for the care (the consumer). The law says terms must be designed, negotiated and entered into with the consumer in a fair and open way.

Terms that may be unfair include those that impose excessive cancellation fees or hidden charges, or attempt to limit your legal rights. Read our article on dealing with problems in care home contracts if you have any problems before or after you sign.

Dealing with problems in care home contracts

Visit the Which? Consumer Rights website for more information about unfair terms in contracts and your legal rights.

Checking your contract

When choosing a care home, the terms of the contract are of paramount importance. Our questions to ask about care homes contracts gives you a checklist of what to look for, and how to spot any potentially unfair terms.

Before making a final decision about a care home, ask to see a copy of the contract. If your loved one is funding their own care, offer to go through the contract with them – two pairs of eyes are better than one. Read the contract very carefully together (if they’re able to do so) and ask the care provider to explain any clauses that you don’t understand.

A contract should be written in clear, simple language so that it’s easy to understand. It should avoid the use of complicated legal jargon or confusing, ambiguous terms. Important information should be explained in full up front and not hidden in the small print.

If you’re still confused, or unsure about what an element of the contract means, consider consulting a solicitor.

Downloadable checklist of questions to ask when visiting a care home