£127k award for 850 days of care: Bristol woman wins High Court claim for home care

Care and an informal agreement

Sheila moved in with Bern Rogers as her condition worsened. She became confused, was diagnosed with dementia and had several physical health problems. Rogers said she and her mother had agreed that she would be paid for round-the-clock care. She described caring for Sheila as a privilege, but said the family put their lives on hold for more than two years.

Rogers said Sheila had insisted that she receive proper payment. Rogers also said she would have cared for her mother even if payment had not been possible.

Dispute after Sheila’s death

Shortly after Sheila died, Rogers transferred £100,000 from her mother’s account. The money was seized and Rogers was charged. A jury found her not guilty at Bristol Crown Court in 2022. Rogers said the experience had been harrowing and had turned a normal family relationship into a situation where she felt treated as a scapegoat.

Two High Court decisions

In 2025, a High Court judge ruled that Rogers and Sheila had made an informal contract for reasonable payment for the care. In August this year, a second judge assessed the amount due.

The judge ruled that Rogers was owed £127,500 for the 850 days she cared for Sheila. Rogers said the rulings lifted a weight from her shoulders and would allow her and her husband, John, to move on.

Possible impact for carers

Legal experts told the BBC that the ruling does not automatically create a legal precedent, but could lead to similar claims. Beth Middleton, a senior associate at JMW, called the case hugely significant and said it could prompt many claims.

Middleton said the decision recognised the wider demands of family care, including ongoing supervision, responsibility and limits on personal freedom. She said relatives may be more likely to qualify for payment when an informal agreement exists, even if no amount was set.