News and blogs document Living well - Paying for care

Unlike the NHS, social care is not free, it is means tested.

You may need to pay some, or all of the cost of the care services you need. Most people are likely to have to contribute towards the cost of their care.

As a guide, you would be expected to pay the full cost of your care if you have savings or other capital assets over £23,250. Capital assets could include additional property, shares, and other relevant assets. If you are receiving care in the home, your assets do not include the value of the home you are living in.

If you have less than £23,250, our Adult Social Care team will complete a financial assessment to determine how much you can afford to contribute towards the cost of your care.

If you choose not to have a financial assessment you will be responsible for paying for full cost of your care.

Paying for care at home

Paying for self-funded care at home can be a long-term commitment, so it’s essential to make sure that you receive the right care tailored to your needs. It is worth seeking independent guidance and advice if you will need to pay the full cost of your care at home.

Money Helper provides free, impartial advice including pensions and paying for care. If you’re not sure how to pay for care, the money advice service has guidance on how specialist care fees advisors could help, how much they cost and where to find the right one:

Age UK can help you work out whether you may be entitled to help with care costs from the county council, and what to do if you must pay the full cost of your care.

Our paying for care at home page has more information on who will pay the cost of your care and how we calculate your contribution. You can find out how to ask us to arrange care services for you or how to arrange care services yourself.

It's worth remembering that we are unable help you with care costs until we have assessed your care needs. If you think you are eligible for financial support or would like to arrange your care through us, please submit an online financial assessment and request a care needs assessment

If you are eligible for financial support and assessed as having care needs, you have two options. We can arrange your support with you, or you can opt for a direct payment [LB10] , which offers a more flexible way to use your personal budget to purchase care services. This allows you to buy care services from micro providers and independent carers, sometimes known as personal assistants. If you choose direct payments, we can still assist you in arranging and managing your services, ensuring they meet your assessed needs.

Paying for a care home

Care homes can be costly and is worth considering the financial implications before moving into a care home. Find out if you will need to self-fund or if you are eligible for financial support from us. If you start off self-funding, you might need our support later on and it is possible you may need to move to a different care home.

If you, a spouse or partner need to move into a care home read do I have to sell my home to pay for care? from Age UK.

Self-funding

Even if you expect to pay the full cost of your care, we can still arrange your care and support at home. There will be a charge for arrangement fees depending on the level of our involvement.

If you are self-funding submit an online financial assessment [LB13] and request a care needs assessment [LB14] or contact our Adult Social Care team three months before your reach the financial threshold for support. This allows time for us to complete our assessments for eligibility and make sure the support you require will be in place.

Paying for care at home

Paying for a care home

Self-funding

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