Pay for care at home
Care in your home
To get help with care and support costs, you’ll need to have a care needs assessment first.
Types of social care and support include:
- help at home from a paid carer
- making adaptations to your home
- gadgets and equipment to help with daily tasks
- personal alarms so you can call for help if you need it
- different types of housing such as supported living and care homes
Read about help to stay living independently at home.
How it works
Social care and support is not free but you may get help to pay for it. The amount you will have to pay depends on the type of help you need and the savings and income that you have.
See examples of what people pay towards their care and support costs.
Check if you qualify for help to pay
Most people will need to pay something towards their care.
You will not qualify for council-funded social care if you have savings, property or investments of more than £23,250. You will need to self-fund your care.
To find out if you’re likely to qualify for financial help to pay for your care home use our online calculator.
If you’ve had a care needs assessment, and you’re eligible for care from us, we’ll do a financial assessment (means test) with you. The assessment works out how much you can afford to pay and if the council will pay towards your care.
When you do not pay anything
Most people will have to pay something towards the cost of their care, but you may not pay anything at all if you:
- need reablement services
- are receiving care under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983
- have Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
- qualify for full NHS Continuing Health Care Funding