FAMILIES facing four-figure weekly care home bills could soon have a new way to compare costs, as Jersey’s consumer watchdog works on a price comparison service for the sector.
Jersey Consumer Council chairman Carl Walker revealed the plans during an All Island Media event focused on the rising cost of living, highlighting the financial strain placed on older Islanders and their families.
Mr Walker said the council was “in talks with the Jersey Care Commission” to develop a system that would allow people to weigh up care home fees more easily – with the aim of launching the service by the summer.
He warned that, in some cases, homeowners are forced to sell their property to fund care, meaning the expense “can wipe out a generation’s worth of savings”.
Mr Walker said the problem is compounded by the circumstances in which many decisions are made. Families are often forced to choose a care home “in a time of crisis” after a loved one has become ill or injured or been discharged from hospital.
“They don’t have time to shop around and they’ll grab a place because one is available,” he said. “And quite often, it would be cheaper to put your elderly relative in a five-star hotel rather than a care home. We need to shine a spotlight on that.”
The proposed comparison tool is intended to provide that transparency, giving families a clearer starting point when navigating the complex and costly care system.
But Mr Walker acknowledged differences between care homes, nursing homes and retirement homes – as well as variations in services offered – present challenges in ensuring like-for-like pricing.
“What we’re not there to do is judge the quality of the care,” he said. “We’re looking at the cost and trying to be sure we can find comparables within the different homes.”
“People aren’t going to be able to use a price comparison to make a final decision,” Mr Walker added, describing it as a “starting point” for families under pressure.
Despite the limitations, the council hopes the initiative will bring greater transparency – and “hopefully introduce a bit more competition in the market”.
