Many families across England and Wales are deeply worried about how care will be funded if they have little or no money or assets. It’s a genuine concern — residential care currently costs between £1,100 and £1,300 per week on average, with nursing care reaching £1,400 to £1,500 per week or more. In London and the south-east, costs can exceed £1,700 per week.
Care funding rules are complex, but the system does provide a safety net for those who genuinely cannot afford to pay. If your capital falls below certain thresholds, your local authority has a legal duty to arrange and fund your care. For homeowners who don’t want to sell during their lifetime, options like deferred payment agreements may also be available.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the various options available for funding care when money is tight, explain how the means-testing system works, and outline the steps you can take to navigate the process. We’ll also touch on how advance planning — including the use of trusts — can help protect family assets long before a care need arises.
Key Takeaways
- If your capital is below £14,250, the local authority pays for your care (though most of your income will still go towards the cost).
- Care funding rules are means-tested — your savings, investments, and potentially your home are all assessed.
- Deferred payment agreements allow you to delay selling your home to pay care fees.
- NHS Continuing Healthcare provides fully funded care for those with a primary health need — but fewer than 1 in 7 applicants qualify.
- Planning ahead with the right legal arrangements, such as a discretionary lifetime trust, can help protect assets years before a care need arises.
Understanding Care Funding in England and Wales
The care funding system in England and Wales is built around a single principle: those who can afford to pay for their own care should do so, while those who cannot will receive help from the local authority. The challenge is understanding where you fall on that spectrum — and that’s where the financial assessment comes in.
Overview of Care Funding
Care funding in England is primarily determined by the local authority’s assessment of an individual’s financial situation. This financial assessment — commonly known as a means test — looks at your income (including state pension, private pensions, and benefits), your savings and investments, and in some cases, the value of your home.
The key capital thresholds in England are straightforward:
- Above £23,250 — you are classed as a self-funder and must pay for the full cost of your care.
- Between £14,250 and £23,250 — you receive partial support. The local authority applies a “tariff income” of £1 per week for every £250 (or part thereof) of capital between these limits, and you’re expected to contribute this notional income towards your care costs.
- Below £14,250 — the local authority funds your care, though you’ll still be expected to contribute most of your income (minus a Personal Expenses Allowance of around £28.25 per week).
It’s important to understand that care funding is means-tested. The amount of financial support you receive is directly linked to your financial resources. This means the less capital you have, the more the local authority contributes — but it also means that for many homeowners, their property is the single biggest factor in the assessment.
Importance of Financial Assessment
The financial assessment is the single most important step in determining whether you’ll receive help with care costs. During this assessment, the local authority evaluates everything: your income from all sources, your capital (savings, investments, premium bonds), and other assets including property.
Your home is not always counted. The value of your main residence is disregarded (not included in the assessment) if any of the following people still live there:
- Your spouse or civil partner
- A relative aged 60 or over
- A relative who is incapacitated
- A child under 18 whom you are liable to maintain
However, if none of these exemptions apply and you move permanently into residential care, your home’s value will typically be included in the means test after a 12-week property disregard period. This is often the point at which families face the prospect of selling the family home.
For a more detailed understanding of how your property might affect care home fees, you can refer to our guide on care home fees and your property.
| Financial Component | Description | Impact on Care Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Income | State pension, private pensions, benefits, annuity payments, and other regular income | Most income (minus a small Personal Expenses Allowance) must be contributed towards care costs |
| Capital | Savings, investments, premium bonds, ISAs, and other liquid assets | Above £23,250 = full self-funder. Between £14,250 and £23,250 = partial contribution. Below £14,250 = local authority funds care |
| Property | Your main home and any other property you own | Included in the assessment unless a qualifying person still lives there. A 12-week disregard applies when you first enter permanent residential care |
Types of Care Available
When considering care options in England and Wales, it’s essential to understand the different types available — because the type of care you need directly affects how it’s funded and what it costs.
Residential Care
Residential care provides a safe, supported environment for individuals who can no longer manage safely at home. Residential care homes offer personal care (help with washing, dressing, eating), meals, housekeeping, and social activities — but they do not provide nursing or medical care on-site. The average cost of residential care in England is currently around £1,100 to £1,300 per week, though this varies significantly by region. Funding eligibility depends on your means test result.
Home Care
Home care — sometimes called domiciliary care — allows you to receive support in your own home. This can range from a few hours a week of help with cooking, cleaning, and medication prompts, to live-in care where a carer is with you around the clock. Many people prefer home care because it allows them to stay in familiar surroundings and maintain greater independence. Home care is also means-tested, and the local authority may fund it if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Nursing Care
Nursing care provides a higher level of medical support for individuals with complex health needs. Nursing homes have qualified nurses on-site 24 hours a day and can manage medication, wound care, and other medical treatments. Average nursing home costs run to £1,400–£1,500 per week nationally, and considerably more in London and the south-east. If you’re in a nursing home but don’t qualify for full NHS funding, you may still receive the NHS-funded Nursing Care Contribution (currently around £219.71 per week) towards the nursing element of your care.
The following table summarises the key features of each care type:
| Care Type | Key Features | Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Care | Personal care, meals, social activities — no on-site nursing | Means-tested by local authority |
| Home Care | Support in your own home, from a few hours to live-in care | Means-tested by local authority |
| Nursing Care | 24-hour nursing support for complex health needs | Means-tested, but NHS-funded Nursing Care Contribution may apply. Fully funded by NHS if you qualify for Continuing Healthcare |
Understanding these options is crucial for making informed decisions about care. It’s equally important to understand how each type of care is funded — because the difference between being a self-funder and receiving local authority support often comes down to whether your home is included in the means test.
Eligibility for Care Funding
Eligibility for care funding in England operates on two separate tracks: a needs assessment (do you need care?) and a financial assessment (can you afford to pay for it?). You must satisfy both to receive local authority-funded care.
Adult Social Care Eligibility
The needs assessment is carried out by the local authority under the Care Act 2014. It considers whether you have needs arising from a physical or mental condition, and whether those needs prevent you from achieving two or more specified outcomes — such as managing your nutrition, maintaining personal hygiene, being able to use your home safely, or maintaining family relationships.
If the local authority determines that your unmet needs have a significant impact on your wellbeing, you’ll be deemed eligible for adult social care. The authority must then carry out a financial assessment to determine how much — if anything — you should pay towards that care.
Key points to remember:
- Anyone can request a care needs assessment from their local authority — it’s free and you have a legal right to one.
- The assessment looks at what you can’t do, not what you can.
- Even if you’re a self-funder, the local authority must still carry out a needs assessment if you ask for one — this can be important for accessing services and understanding your options.
NHS Continuing Healthcare
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of ongoing care that is arranged and fully funded by the NHS. Crucially, CHC is not means-tested — your savings, income, and property are completely irrelevant. If you qualify, the NHS pays for everything, whether you’re a millionaire or have nothing at all.
| Eligibility Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
| Primary Health Need | Your care needs must be primarily related to a health condition — not just social care needs. This is assessed across 12 care domains including behaviour, cognition, breathing, and skin integrity. |
| Multidisciplinary Assessment | A team of healthcare professionals (nurses, therapists, social workers) uses the Decision Support Tool to score your needs across all 12 domains. |
| Full NHS Funding | If eligible, the NHS covers the full cost of your care — in a care home, nursing home, or even in your own home. No means test applies. |
It’s important to be realistic: CHC has a high bar for eligibility, and the majority of applicants are turned down. However, it’s always worth requesting a screening — particularly for individuals with advanced dementia, severe neurological conditions, or complex multi-system needs. If you’re turned down, you have the right to appeal.
Deferred payment agreements are another important option. If the local authority has assessed your needs and agreed that you need residential care, but your main asset is your home, they may offer a deferred payment agreement. This effectively means the council pays your care fees upfront and places a legal charge on your property. The debt is then repaid — with interest — when the property is eventually sold or from your estate after death. This prevents you from being forced into an immediate sale of your home.
Means Testing for Care Costs
The means test is the mechanism that determines whether you pay for your own care, receive partial support, or have your care fully funded by the local authority. Understanding how it works is essential for anyone facing care costs or planning ahead.
What is Means Testing?
Means testing is a financial assessment carried out by the local authority that evaluates your income, capital, and — in certain circumstances — your property, to determine how much you should contribute towards your care costs. The assessment follows a national framework set out in the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations, though local authorities have some discretion in how they apply it.
During the means test, the following are considered:
- Income: State pension, private/occupational pensions, pension credit, attendance allowance, employment and support allowance, and other benefits or regular income
- Capital: Savings accounts, ISAs, premium bonds, investments, shares, and any other liquid assets
- Property: The value of your home (subject to the disregards mentioned earlier) and any other property you own
Certain items are disregarded in the assessment, including your main home (in specific circumstances), personal possessions, and the surrender value of life insurance policies.
How is it Conducted?
The means test is carried out by a financial assessor from the local authority, usually after the care needs assessment has confirmed that you have eligible care needs. You’ll be asked to provide evidence of your finances — bank statements, pension documentation, property details, and details of any assets you’ve given away or transferred in recent years.
For more detailed information on how the financial assessment works, you can visit the NHS website.
One critical point many people miss: the local authority will ask about any assets you’ve disposed of or transferred. If they believe you gave away assets to reduce your assessed wealth — known as deprivation of assets — they can treat you as though you still own those assets. Unlike the 7-year rule for inheritance tax, there is no fixed time limit for deprivation of assets. The local authority simply has to show that avoiding care fees was a “significant operative purpose” of the transfer. The longer the gap between the transfer and the need for care, the harder this is to prove — which is why advance planning is so important.
By understanding means testing and how it affects care funding, individuals and their families can better navigate the system — and, crucially, recognise why planning well in advance (ideally years before any care need is foreseeable) is the best way to protect family wealth.
Local Authority Responsibilities
Local authorities in England and Wales have significant legal duties when it comes to care. Under the Care Act 2014, they must assess anyone who appears to need care and support, regardless of their financial situation. Their role extends far beyond simply deciding who pays — they are responsible for shaping the local care market and ensuring that care is available for everyone who needs it.
Role of Local Authorities in Care Funding
Local authorities carry out both the needs assessment and the financial assessment. Once both are complete, they determine whether you’re eligible for funded care, partially funded care, or whether you’re a self-funder. Even self-funders can ask the local authority to arrange their care on their behalf.
Key Responsibilities of Local Authorities:
- Conducting care needs assessments (free of charge, and available to anyone who requests one)
- Carrying out financial assessments to determine eligibility for funding
- Arranging care services and managing care placements
- Providing information and advice about care options, even to self-funders
- Offering deferred payment agreements for those whose wealth is tied up in property
- Reviewing care needs and funding regularly
An important point that many families don’t realise: the local authority can agree to fund care upfront and then recover the costs later. This typically happens through a deferred payment agreement, where the council places a legal charge on your property. The fees — plus interest and an administration charge — are then repaid when the property is sold or from the estate after death. This arrangement means nobody should be forced to sell their home during their lifetime simply to pay for care.
How to Apply for Local Authority Support
Applying for local authority support is more straightforward than many people expect. You don’t need a solicitor or specialist to start the process — you simply need to contact the right department.
Steps to Apply:
- Contact your local council’s adult social care department. You can do this by phone, online, or by visiting in person. If the person needing care can’t do this themselves, a family member, friend, or GP can make the referral.
- Request a care needs assessment. The local authority must carry this out — they cannot refuse. It should be done within a reasonable timeframe.
- Undergo a financial assessment. If eligible for care, the council will assess your finances to determine your contribution. Have bank statements, pension details, and property information ready.
- Receive a care and support plan. If eligible, this sets out what care you’ll receive, how it will be delivered, and what (if anything) you’ll pay.
If the process feels overwhelming, you can ask for a carer’s assessment at the same time if a family member is providing unpaid care. They may be entitled to support in their own right.
NHS Funding for Care
NHS Continuing Healthcare is one of the most important — and most misunderstood — care funding options in England. If you qualify, the NHS pays for all of your care, regardless of your financial situation. No means test. No capital thresholds. No selling the family home.
Who Qualifies for NHS Funding?
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is available to individuals whose care needs are primarily health-related rather than social care needs. The key question is whether you have a “primary health need.” This is assessed across 12 care domains, including behaviour, cognition, psychological needs, communication, mobility, nutrition, continence, skin integrity, breathing, drug therapies, symptom control, and altered states of consciousness.
Key Eligibility Indicators:
- Your needs are complex, intense, unpredictable, or rapidly changing
- You require ongoing clinical intervention or monitoring
- Your care needs go beyond what a local authority could reasonably be expected to provide
- You score “severe” or “priority” in at least one care domain, or “high” across several domains
Even if you don’t qualify for full CHC, you may be eligible for a joint funding package where the NHS and local authority share the cost of your care.
The Application Process for NHS Funding
The application process has several stages, and it’s worth being persistent — many people who are initially turned down succeed on appeal.
Steps in the Application Process:
- Checklist screening: A health or social care professional completes the CHC Checklist to identify whether a full assessment is needed. You or your family can request this screening — don’t wait for someone to offer it.
- Full assessment using the Decision Support Tool: A multidisciplinary team (MDT) — typically a nurse, social worker, and other relevant professionals — scores your needs across all 12 care domains.
- Eligibility decision: The local Integrated Care Board (ICB) makes the final decision based on the MDT’s recommendation. You should receive a decision within 28 days of the full assessment.
- Review and appeal: If you’re turned down, you have the right to request a review. If still unsuccessful, you can escalate to NHS England’s Independent Review Panel.
We strongly recommend keeping detailed records of all care needs, incidents, and medical input. Family members often play a crucial role in providing evidence that supports the application. Advocacy organisations such as Beacon can provide specialist support throughout the process.
Self-Funding Your Care
If your capital exceeds £23,250, you are classified as a self-funder and responsible for meeting the full cost of your care. With residential care averaging £1,100–£1,300 per week and nursing care £1,400–£1,500 per week, a single year of care can easily cost £60,000–£80,000. Over several years, this can consume the vast majority of a family’s wealth — including the family home.
What Does it Mean to Self-Fund?
Self-funding care means you pay the full cost yourself, without financial help from the local authority. You can still ask the local authority to arrange your care on your behalf (they must do this if asked), but you’ll pay the full fee. Many self-funders choose to arrange their own care privately, which sometimes offers more choice — but can also mean paying higher rates than the local authority would negotiate.
Key Considerations for Self-Funding:
- At current average costs, a three-year stay in a care home could cost £170,000–£230,000 — more than the value of many family homes outside the south-east.
- Once your capital drops below £23,250, you should contact the local authority immediately for a financial reassessment — you may then be eligible for partial or full funding.
- Self-funders often pay more than local authority-funded residents for the same room in the same care home. This cross-subsidy is common across the sector.
Financial Options for Self-Funding
There are several financial options that self-funders can consider to manage the cost of care more effectively:
Immediate Needs Annuities: You pay a lump sum to an insurance company, and in return they pay a guaranteed, tax-free income directly to your care provider for the rest of your life. If you’re in poor health (which is often the case when entering care), the annuity can offer surprisingly good value because the insurer is pricing on a shorter life expectancy.
| Financial Option | Description | Key Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Savings | Using savings, ISAs, premium bonds, and investments to fund care. | Flexibility, immediate access, no ongoing commitments. |
| Immediate Needs Annuity | A lump sum exchanged for a guaranteed, tax-free income paid directly to the care provider for life. | Certainty of funding, protects remaining assets from further depletion, payments are tax-free when paid direct to care provider. |
| Deferred Payment Agreement | The local authority pays your care fees and places a charge on your property. Repaid later from property sale or estate. | Avoids forced sale of home during lifetime, gives family time to plan. |
One option that’s often mentioned is equity release — but this should be approached with extreme caution. Equity release reduces the value of your estate, can affect means-tested benefits, and involves compound interest that can grow rapidly. It’s vital to get independent financial advice before considering this route.
For those who want to protect their family home and other assets from being consumed by care fees, the most effective approach is to plan years in advance — ideally by placing the property into an appropriate trust arrangement, such as a discretionary lifetime trust, while you are still healthy and a care need is not foreseeable. This is an area where specialist legal advice is essential. When you compare the cost of setting up a trust — from around £850 — to the potential cost of care fees at £1,200 or more per week, it’s one of the most cost-effective forms of protection available. As Mike Pugh, founder of MP Estate Planning, puts it: “Plan, don’t panic.”
How Assets Affect Care Funding
Your assets are at the heart of the care funding assessment. The amount and type of assets you hold — particularly your home — will determine whether you pay for care yourself, receive partial help, or have the local authority fund your care entirely.
Capital Limits for Care Funding
The capital limits in England are clear-cut:
| Capital Threshold | Impact on Care Funding |
|---|---|
| Below £14,250 | Local authority funds your care. Your capital is fully disregarded, though most of your income still goes towards care costs (minus the Personal Expenses Allowance). |
| £14,250 – £23,250 | You receive partial local authority support. A “tariff income” of £1 per week for every £250 of capital in this band is added to your assessed income contribution. |
| Above £23,250 | You are a full self-funder. You must pay the entire cost of your care. The local authority has no obligation to contribute. |
It’s worth noting that the upper capital limit of £23,250 has not changed for several years, despite care costs rising significantly. This means more and more people are being caught as self-funders, even those with relatively modest savings. For more detail on what counts as capital, see our guide on what counts as capital when paying for care.
Implications of Home Ownership
Home ownership is the single biggest factor in care funding assessments for most families. With the average home in England now worth around £290,000, a property alone can push someone well above the self-funding threshold.
As noted above, the value of your main home is disregarded (not counted) if a qualifying person still lives there — your spouse, civil partner, a relative aged 60 or over, or an incapacitated relative. But if the home is empty when you enter permanent residential care, it will be included in the assessment after the initial 12-week property disregard period.
This is precisely why between 40,000 and 70,000 homes are sold every year in the UK to fund care. It’s also why advance planning — such as placing your home into a properly structured discretionary lifetime trust while you are still healthy — can make such a significant difference. The key is that any transfer must be done well before a care need arises, for legitimate reasons, and with proper legal advice. You cannot transfer assets once a care need is foreseeable and expect the local authority to ignore it.
To understand more about how to protect your home from care fees, visit our guide on protecting your home from care fees.
The Role of Professional Advisors
Getting the right advice early can save a family tens — or even hundreds — of thousands of pounds. Care funding sits at the intersection of social care law, tax law, property law, and trust law. No single professional is an expert in all of these, which is why it’s important to understand who to turn to and when.
Why Consult a Professional Advisor?
As Mike Pugh, founder of MP Estate Planning, often says: “The law — like medicine — is broad. You wouldn’t want your GP doing surgery.” The same principle applies here. Your general financial advisor or high-street solicitor may have limited experience with care fee planning, trust arrangements, or the interaction between means testing and asset protection.
Consulting the right professional can help you:
- Understand your options before a care need arises — this is when you have the most choices and the greatest protection available.
- Navigate the means-testing process and ensure you’re not paying more than you should.
- Challenge unfair assessments or deprivation of assets allegations.
- Set up appropriate trust arrangements that protect the family home and other assets for future generations.
How They Can Help You Navigate Care Costs
The right professional advisor can offer guidance across several areas:
- Estate planning solicitors or trust specialists: Can help you set up a discretionary lifetime trust to protect your home and assets. This must be done well before any care need is foreseeable. At MP Estate Planning, trusts start from £850 — roughly the equivalent of one week’s care home fees. It’s a one-off cost to protect what may be your family’s most valuable asset.
- Independent financial advisors (IFAs) with later-life care specialisms: Can advise on immediate needs annuities, investment drawdown strategies, and the most tax-efficient way to fund care.
- Care fee planning specialists: Can conduct a full review of your financial position and identify whether you’re eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, Attendance Allowance, or other benefits you may be missing.
The most important thing is to act early. By the time someone is already in a care home, many of the best planning options are no longer available. Not losing the family money provides the greatest peace of mind above all else — and the earlier you start planning, the more options you have.
Special Circumstances
The care system recognises that certain conditions create unique challenges when it comes to funding care. Dementia and disabilities are two areas where additional funding routes and protections may be available — but they require careful navigation.
Funding for Dementia Care
Dementia care is one of the most significant care costs families face. A person with advanced dementia may need round-the-clock supervision, specialised nursing, and a secure environment — all of which comes at a premium. Specialist dementia care units often charge £1,500 or more per week.
The critical question for many families is whether dementia care should be funded by the NHS (as a health need) or the local authority (as a social care need). Many families feel strongly that dementia is a health condition and should be funded by the NHS through Continuing Healthcare. In practice, however, the majority of people with dementia do not qualify for CHC, because the assessment focuses on the nature and complexity of care needs rather than the diagnosis alone.
That said, people with severe or rapidly deteriorating dementia — particularly those with challenging behaviour, frequent falls, swallowing difficulties, or complex medication needs — should always be screened for CHC. Families should not accept a refusal to screen without challenge.
If CHC is not available, the usual means-tested local authority funding rules apply. This is another reason why early planning is so valuable — protecting the family home through a discretionary lifetime trust years before a dementia diagnosis can ensure there’s something left to pass on to the next generation.
Support for Individuals with Disabilities
Individuals with disabilities may be eligible for additional financial support beyond the standard care funding framework. Key sources of support include:
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP): A non-means-tested benefit for people aged 16 to state pension age with long-term health conditions or disabilities that affect daily living or mobility.
- Attendance Allowance: A non-means-tested benefit for people over state pension age who need help with personal care. Worth up to £108.55 per week (higher rate). Crucially, Attendance Allowance does not count as capital in the means test and can be claimed whether you’re at home or in residential care (though it stops if you receive local authority-funded care).
- Disability-related benefits and premiums: These can increase the amount of income you’re allowed to keep during a financial assessment.
- Disabled person’s trusts: A special category of trust arrangement that can hold assets for a disabled beneficiary with favourable inheritance tax treatment. Under current UK law, a trust for a disabled person can qualify as having an interest in possession for IHT purposes, even when structured to give trustees discretion — providing significant tax advantages and long-term protection.
Navigating these benefits and planning for the long-term care of a disabled person requires specialist advice. We are here to provide guidance and help you access the support available.
Advocacy and Rights
Navigating the care system can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re dealing with a stressful situation involving a loved one’s health. But it’s important to know that you have clear legal rights — and that decisions about care funding can be challenged if you believe they’re wrong.
Your Rights in the Care System
Under the Care Act 2014, individuals in England have specific rights when it comes to care and support. These include:
- The right to a needs assessment — the local authority cannot refuse this if it appears you may have care needs
- The right to be involved in decisions about your care — your views, wishes, and preferences must be taken into account when drawing up your care and support plan
- The right to choose your care provider — subject to certain conditions (the local authority must agree the placement is suitable and affordable)
- The right to complain and challenge decisions — through the local authority’s complaints procedure, and ultimately to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
- The right to an independent advocate — if you have difficulty understanding or participating in the assessment process, the local authority must arrange an independent advocate for you
Understanding these rights is the first step in ensuring you or your loved one receives appropriate care. If you need help navigating the system, independent advocacy services are available in every local authority area — they’re free and can make a real difference.
How to Challenge Care Funding Decisions
If you or your loved one is unhappy with a care funding decision — whether it’s the outcome of a means test, a refusal to fund CHC, or a disagreement about the level of care provided — you have the right to challenge it. The process typically involves:
- Request a written explanation of the decision, including the criteria used and the evidence considered.
- Ask for a formal review. For local authority decisions, this goes through their complaints procedure. For CHC decisions, ask the ICB for a local review first.
- Provide additional evidence — medical records, care logs, GP letters, and family observations can all support your case.
- Escalate if necessary. For local authority complaints, you can go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. For CHC disputes, you can request an Independent Review Panel through NHS England.
- Seek specialist advocacy support. Organisations like Beacon, Age UK, and the Alzheimer’s Society can provide guidance and, in some cases, represent you during the appeals process.
Challenging a decision can feel daunting, but the statistics are encouraging — a significant proportion of CHC appeals are successful, particularly when families provide strong, detailed evidence of care needs. You don’t have to accept the first answer.
Knowing your rights and being willing to challenge unfair decisions can make a tangible financial difference — the difference between paying £1,200 or more per week yourself and having the NHS fund your care entirely.
Resources for Further Information
Navigating the care funding system is complex, but you don’t have to do it alone. There are reliable resources — both governmental and charitable — that can help you understand your options and access the support you need.
Useful Government Websites
The following resources provide authoritative guidance on care funding:
- GOV.UK — the official government website has comprehensive guides on paying for care, financial assessments, and deferred payment agreements
- NHS.UK — provides detailed information on NHS Continuing Healthcare, the application process, and how to challenge decisions
- Your local council’s website — each council publishes its own information about adult social care services, how to request an assessment, and local care providers
For guidance on protecting your home from care fees, our detailed guide explains the options available to homeowners who want to plan ahead.
Support Groups and Advocacy Organisations
Support groups and advocacy organisations provide invaluable practical and emotional support for families dealing with care funding:
- Age UK — offers free advice on all aspects of care funding, benefits, and later-life planning. Their helpline is staffed by trained advisors.
- Alzheimer’s Society — specialist support for families affected by dementia, including guidance on care funding and CHC applications.
- Citizens Advice — free, independent advice on benefits, care funding, and challenging local authority decisions.
- Beacon — specialist organisation that helps families navigate NHS Continuing Healthcare assessments and appeals.
- Carers UK — support for unpaid carers, including advice on carer’s assessments and financial support.
If you’d like to discuss how advance planning through trusts can help protect your family’s assets from care fees, contact MP Estate Planning for a consultation. As Mike Pugh says, “Plan, don’t panic” — and the earlier you start, the more options you have.