In England, start with a free care needs assessment from your council. If you have eligible needs, a financial assessment decides what you pay: with savings and capital over £23,250 (2026/27) you usually pay the full cost; between £14,250 and £23,250 you contribute; under £14,250 your capital is ignored. Your home is not counted when care is provided at home. The NHS pays in full if you qualify for NHS continuing healthcare, and Attendance Allowance helps regardless of savings.
Key facts
- Upper capital limit £23,250, lower limit £14,250 (England 2026/27).
- Your home is ignored in the financial assessment when you get care at home.
- Minimum Income Guarantee: £241.45 a week for a single person over Pension Credit age (2026/27).
- Attendance Allowance £114.60 / £76.70 a week; not means-tested.
- Council-arranged intermediate care and reablement are free for up to six weeks.
Step by step: who pays for care at home?
- Care needs assessment: free from your council, whatever your savings.
- Eligibility: the council decides whether your needs meet the national eligibility criteria.
- Financial assessment: works out what you pay towards eligible care.
- Personal budget: the amount the council considers necessary to meet your needs.
- How you receive it: council-arranged services or a direct payment.
The means test for care at home (England 2026/27)
| Your savings and capital | What usually happens |
|---|---|
| Over £23,250 | You pay the full cost (you can still ask the council to arrange care) |
| £14,250 to £23,250 | You contribute from capital and income; the council pays the rest of the eligible cost |
| Under £14,250 | Capital ignored; you contribute from income only |
The council must leave you enough income to live on: the Minimum Income Guarantee (£241.45 a week for a single person over Pension Credit age in 2026/27). It should also take account of disability-related costs.
Is my home counted?
Not when you get care at home. The value of the home you live in is disregarded. If you later move permanently into a care home, different rules apply, including a 12-week property disregard and deferred payment agreements.
Direct payments and live-in care
A direct payment lets you choose your own provider, including a managed live-in care service, as long as the care meets your assessed needs. Many people top up a direct payment with their own money to pay for live-in care.
When the NHS pays
- NHS continuing healthcare: full funding for people whose needs are mainly health needs. See our CHC guide.
- After hospital: council-arranged intermediate care and reablement are free for up to six weeks.
Benefits that help with care costs
- Attendance Allowance (State Pension age): £114.60 or £76.70 a week, not means-tested.
- Personal Independence Payment (under State Pension age): daily living component £114.60 or £76.70 a week.
- Carer's Allowance for family carers: £86.45 a week if earning under £204 a week.
If you're paying yourself
- Still ask for a care needs assessment: it helps plan care and matters if savings later fall.
- Tell the council before your savings drop below £23,250.
- Get independent financial advice from a later-life care specialist (SOLLA accredited).
- Compare written prices: see the cost of live-in care.
In Cheshire West and Chester
Ask for a needs assessment through Cheshire West and Chester Council's Community Access Team on 0300 123 7034, or use the council's online self-assessment. The council publishes its charging, direct payment and deferred payment policies on its website.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
This guide covers England. The rules and limits are different in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to sell my house to pay for care at home?
No. When you receive care in your own home, the council does not count the value of the home you live in. The rules are different if you move permanently into a care home.
What is a direct payment?
If the council agrees to fund some or all of your care, you can ask to receive the money as a direct payment and arrange care yourself from a provider you choose, as long as it meets your assessed needs. You can usually add your own money on top.
What if the council's budget doesn't cover live-in care?
Councils fund care up to the amount they consider necessary to meet your eligible needs. If you choose more expensive care, you may be asked to pay the difference, or you can ask the council to explain how it calculated your personal budget.
Who pays if my needs are mainly health needs?
You may qualify for NHS continuing healthcare, which is arranged and paid for in full by the NHS and isn't means-tested. The bar is high: around one in five full assessments finds someone eligible.
Can I get help with the cost if I'm a family carer?
You can ask the council for a carer's assessment. If you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and earn under £204 a week, you may get Carer's Allowance of £86.45 a week (2026/27).
Sources
- GOV.UK: Social care charging for care and support 2026 to 2027 (17 February 2026)
- GOV.UK: Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027
- NHS England: NHS continuing healthcare
- DHSC / NHS England: Hospital discharge and community support guidance (updated 26 January 2024)
- Cheshire West and Chester Council: Request support from adult social care
This guide is general information about care in England. It is not financial, legal or medical advice. Figures were checked on 25 October 2026 and can change.