Care is expensive — but you may not have to pay all of it yourself. This guide explains the means test, the benefits worth claiming, and when the NHS or your council should pay. Updated for 2026.
1. The financial assessment (means test)
If you ask your council for help, you’ll get a free needs assessment, then a financial assessment based on your capital (savings, investments and sometimes property). In England for 2026/27:
| Your capital | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Over £23,250 (upper limit) | Full cost — you’re a “self-funder” |
| £14,250–£23,250 | Contribution from income + £1/week per £250 of capital |
| Under £14,250 (lower limit) | Contribution from income only |
For care at home, the value of your property is not counted. For a care home, your home’s value can be counted — unless a partner, or a relative who is over 60 or disabled, still lives there. Care-home residents keep a Personal Expenses Allowance of £31.80 a week (2026/27). The proposed £86,000 lifetime cap was scrapped in 2024.
Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland
- Scotland: free personal care (£260.30/week) and nursing care (£117.10/week) contributions (from April 2026); capital limits roughly £22,750 (lower) and £36,750 (upper).
- Wales: a single capital limit of £50,000 for residential care, and a weekly cap on charges for non-residential care.
- Northern Ireland: broadly the same capital limits as England (£23,250 / £14,250).
2. Benefits worth claiming
- Attendance Allowance (State Pension age and over) — not means-tested: £76.70 or £114.60 a week (2026/27) depending on the help you need. Under State Pension age, this is usually PIP instead.
- Carer’s Allowance — £86.45 a week (2026/27) for someone caring 35+ hours a week and earning under £204/week.
- Pension Credit — tops weekly income up to £238 (single) / £363.25 (couple); a gateway to other help.
- Council Tax — reductions and disregards may apply (e.g. severe mental impairment).
3. When the NHS pays
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC): if you have a complex, ongoing “primary health need”, the NHS pays 100% of care costs — including a care home — and it is not means-tested. Always worth asking for an assessment.
- NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC): if you’re in a nursing home but not eligible for full CHC, the NHS pays a flat contribution toward nursing of around £267.68 a week (from April 2026).
4. Other ways to manage the cost
- Deferred Payment Agreement — the council pays care-home fees now and recovers them from your estate later, so your home needn’t be sold immediately.
- Third-party top-ups — family can top up for a more expensive room.
- Care fee annuities (immediate needs annuities) — a one-off payment to cover fees for life; take regulated advice first.
Where to get free, regulated help
For personalised help, contact Age UK, Citizens Advice, or the government’s MoneyHelper service, and ask your council’s adult social care team for an assessment. For paid-for advice on annuities, use an adviser regulated by the FCA and a member of Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA).
Rates and thresholds are for 2025/26–2026/27 and change each April; rules differ across the UK. This is general information, not financial advice — check current details with GOV.UK, your council and a regulated adviser before making decisions. Last reviewed June 2026.