Paying for residential care

How much do I need to pay?

If you are eligible for care or support we will carry out a financial assessment. You are not automatically entitled to financial help until you complete this assessment. Based on the information you give us, we will be able to tell you how much you will have to pay towards your care.

Temporary stay in a home

If your stay at a residential or nursing home is temporary, you will be expected to pay towards the cost, but the home in which you normally live will not be included in the assessment of your income.

Permanent stay in a home

If you are moving into a residential or nursing home permanently, you will be expected to pay towards the cost, and the home in which you normally live will be included in the assessment of your income.

If you have capital, for example savings, shares, property (if your stay is permanent), which are valued in excess of £23,250 we will expect you to pay for the total cost of your residential or nursing care home. The total cost will be the market rate that you have negotiated with the care home.

Capital limits may change in April when benefit rates change. Therefore, each April, we will re-assess the contribution you are expected to make. We will write to you and the Home to advise you of the new charge. We may contact you and ask you to confirm other financial details e.g. the amount of savings you have.

You will be expected to use most of your income to pay for your care. Out of your income you are able to keep a ‘Personal Allowance’. This allowance is set by the Department of Health in April each year. The personal allowance is currently £28.25 per week.

Download our paying for residential care leaflet.

If you're married

If you are married or living with someone as a couple we will only assess your financial resources. If both of you are going into care, we will assess your finances individually to work out how much you will have to contribute towards the cost of your own care.

If you are married and going into residential care, and receive an occupational pension, personal pension or payments from a retirement annuity contract, we will ignore 50% of that pension if you choose to transfer that share to your partner who is staying at home. However, this may affect the state benefits that your partner can receive.

You may wish to get independent financial advice to help you make this decision.