Care glossary · Paying for care
Third-party top-up: what it means
An extra payment, usually by a relative, to cover the difference between what the council pays and a dearer care home's fee.
If the council funds a place and the person chooses a home that costs more than the council's rate, someone else can pay the difference. The council must offer at least one suitable home that needs no top-up.
Related terms
- Self-funder: Someone who pays the full cost of their own care, usually because their savings are above the upper capital limit.
- Personal budget: The amount the council works out it will cost to meet someone's eligible care needs.
Questions about third-party top-up
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More in Paying for care
Self-funder · Care needs assessment · Financial assessment (means test) · Upper capital limit · Lower capital limit · Tariff income · Personal expenses allowance · Minimum income guarantee · Disability-related expenditure · 12-week property disregard · Deferred payment agreement · Personal budget · Direct payments · Deprivation of assets · Care cap
Register information from CQC as at Oct 2026; Open Government Licence v3.0 applies. We do not deliver care ourselves.