Help paying for care homes

How it works

If you've had a needs assessment that shows you need to live in a care home or nursing home, you might get help to pay for it.

If you’ve been arranging care privately and your savings and investments will fall below £23,250 within three months, you should contact us.

How to qualify

To see if you qualify for help to pay, you will need a financial assessment.

The financial assessment will work out how much you can afford to pay towards your care each week. If this amount is not enough, you may qualify for help to pay for your care.

See examples of how we work out what people pay.

You will not qualify for help to pay if:

• your financial assessment shows you can afford to pay for all of your care yourself
• you choose to arrange your care privately
• you choose not to have a financial assessment or do not give us the information we need

Who does not pay at all

Almost everyone is responsible for their own care home costs.

You are not responsible for care costs, and will not need a financial assessment, if:

• your care has been arranged and provided under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (and your care fees are within the negotiated rate)
• you are temporarily put in a community bed funded by the NHS
• your stay in a care home is transitional and will not last for more than four weeks (and your care fees are within the negotiated rate)
• you qualify for full NHS Continuing Health Care Funding
  

If something changes and you no longer qualify for NHS Continuing Health Care Funding, you will need to start paying for your care, and you will need a financial assessment review.