Exclusive: Bill for care fees refund to hit £110m

HEALTH chiefs are warning the NHS in Yorkshire faces a bill running to £110m to cover the cost of care fees wrongly paid by thousands of families.
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The liabilities have emerged in accounts of former primary care trusts in cash set aside to cover claims for care home fees dating back to 2004. Families could receive six-figure awards after paying bills for fees which should have been picked up by the NHS.

Officials in Yorkshire are examining more than 5,000 claims amid complaints of lengthy delays for assessments to be completed.

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Figures show the biggest liabilities per head are estimated in Rotherham where officials calculate as much as £11.8m could be owing to around 300 families.

In Doncaster, £12.2m has been set aside and £12.9m in North Yorkshire, where more than 900 retrospective claims have been made. In Bradford the figure is £11.1m and in Wakefield £8.1m.

NHS care is free for people with primarily long-term health needs and includes funding for care home fees. A review into awards was ordered by the Department of Health over past failures to carry out effective needs assessments.

Neither the department nor NHS England were able to comment on the latest progress over the claims assessments process.