How will I finance the care I need?
Arranging care at home or moving into residential care or supported living can be a complex process, but we’re here to help. Below we’ll take you through paying for care, step by step.
Arranging care at home or moving into residential care or supported living can be a complex process, but we’re here to help. Below we’ll take you through paying for care, step by step.
Arranging care at home or moving into residential care or supported living can be a complex process, but we’re here to help. Below we’ll take you through paying for care, step by step.
Your local authority or council is responsible for assessing your needs, and holds the budgets for paying for help, assistance and care. When you think your needs are getting too much for your current situation, you should first ask the local authority for a care needs assessment, after which you will have a means assessment to see what, if anything, you would have to pay for any services or care. If you disagree with the outcome of an assessment, you can contact some of the organisations listed below who can help you.
Even if you’re intending on funding your own care, you should still discuss your situation with the local authority as they can help you to identify areas where you might need help and arrange this for you.
The means test, or financial assessment, works out if the council will pay towards your care. In short, it looks at how much money you have.
Generally, the council helps to pay for care costs if you have savings below £23,250.
During the means test a financial assessment officer from the council will visit you at home and ask you things about your:
The best thing you can do is gather all the information you have about:
Certain types of income, such as money from some disability-related expenses, may not be included in the assessment but it’s best to have these available to show the assessor so that you are completely transparent about your financial situation.
If you need a paid carer and therefore you’re staying in your own home, the value of your home is not included in calculations to determine what assets you have.
But if you are paying for a care home or other types of housing or care, the value of your house will be included unless your partner or spouse is still living in it.
You may think about giving away some of your money or assets before the means test to avoid paying likely care costs however, the means test can ask you about things you used to own.
If the council think you have given away money to avoid paying care costs they may still factor that money into your assessment or stop you getting any financial help at all.
If you are paying for the cost of care or housing yourself and you reach a level of savings less than £23,250, the local council may assist with funding. You should ask for an assessment before you reach this level.
Here are some useful organisations which may be able to provide you with more information:
Abbeyfield has complied with the government’s guidance on managing the risk of COVID-19 and is COVID-secure. Please click to find out more about our response to the pandemic.