"How will we pay for it?" is usually the second question families ask about care — and the one surrounded by the most confusion. Here is how it actually works in England, in plain English.
Route 1: Paying privately (self-funding)
If you pay for care yourself, you choose the provider and agree a price directly. A reputable provider will give you a clear written price before care starts, with no hidden extras. Self-funding gives you the most choice and the fastest start.
Route 2: Local authority funding
Your council must carry out a free care needs assessment for anyone who appears to need care. If the assessment finds eligible needs, a financial (means-test) assessment follows: broadly, if the person's savings and assets are below £23,250 (the current threshold in England), the council contributes to or covers the cost of care. Crucially, the value of their home is not counted while they're receiving care in it.
Direct payments: keeping the choice
Even when the council pays, you can usually ask for a direct payment — the money comes to you, and you choose which provider delivers the care. Council funding does not have to mean losing control.
Route 3: NHS funding
People whose needs are primarily health-related — complex conditions, rapidly deteriorating health, end-of-life care — may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare. It is not means-tested and covers the full cost of care. Assessment starts with a checklist by a nurse, GP or social worker; don't be afraid to ask for one.
Benefits worth checking
Attendance Allowance (for people over State Pension age needing supervision or personal care) and Carer's Allowance are non-means-tested benefits many families simply never claim. A quick check on GOV.UK is always worth it.
The biggest funding mistake families make is assuming they must pay for everything themselves — before anyone has actually checked.
We'll happily point you toward the right funding route in a single phone call — even if you never become our client. That's a promise.
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