Depending on your financial circumstances, part of your accommodation and your care costs may be paid by us. The cost of the nursing element of your care is the responsibility of the local NHS.
We will work with you to complete a financial assessment to determine how much you will be asked to contribute. This is based on your income, including any welfare benefits and capital you have. We calculate this amount using the Department of Health Care Act 2014 document. You can find out more about the Care Act 2014 on the Government website.
All financial help is based on a means-tested assessment. You can start this process by completing our online financial self-assessment form. This will give you an indication of whether you will need to pay towards your care.
We will also complete a financial assessment if you are going into a care home just for a short period.
How much will you pay
We will ask you about your income, such as pensions and welfare benefits, and any capital, such as stocks and shares, land or property, that you have. We will then work out your contribution. If we have reason to believe you have disposed of any capital to reduce the amount you will be charged, we may take this capital into account as if you still owned it.
You will be required to pay the full charge for your accommodation if you have capital worth £23,250 (for the financial year 2024 to 2025) or more. It is very important that you seek information and advice before you enter into any arrangements. This will help ensure you make informed choices about your care and how you pay for it.
How we calculate how much you have to pay
If your capital is less than £23,250, we will:
- look at your assessable income. This is the amount you have left after taking away some outgoings and costs which may be incurred as a direct result of your illness or disability. For more information about assessable income, see our paying for care leaflet (pdf / 2 MB)
- any savings or other capital assets
If you have savings below £14,250 (for the financial year 2024 to 2025), they are not included when working out your charge for services.
If you have savings over £14,250, for every £250 or part of £250 that you have over £14,250, £1 will be taken into account as weekly income. This will be added to your normal income in order to work out how much you will be asked to pay.
After your contribution is calculated, you will be left with a weekly personal expenses allowance. This amount is set by the Government at £30.15 a week for the financial year 2024 to 2025.
If you own a property
In some circumstances, a property you own will not be included in the assessment. For example, if you are a part owner of a property, different rules may apply to the value when taken into account in the financial assessment.
There may be other circumstances as to why a property you own may not be included in the assessment. We will discuss these with you as part of your financial assessment. In calculating your charges, the value of your property may also be disregarded for the first 12 weeks following the start of your permanent stay.
The Council also operates a Deferred Payment scheme which will allow you to keep your property after that initial 12-week period (if applicable). A Deferred Payment Agreement is an arrangement that allows those that are eligible to use the value of their homes to pay for their care costs, with part of the charges you will be expected to pay being deferred as the Council will place a legal charge on your property.
Full details of the Deferred Payment Scheme will be discussed as part of the financial assessment.
Welfare benefits
If you are entitled to claim means-tested benefits, we will help you to do so. If you aren't financially entitled to help with the cost of your care, you may be able to claim a disability benefit to help you meet this cost. We can help you with this.
You can find more information and contact details about welfare benefits to see if you're receiving all that you're entitled to.
If your financial circumstances change
We expect you to tell us if your financial circumstances change at any time. Each year we will review the amount you are due to pay. We will also take into account changes to benefit and pension levels. Please be aware that if your financial circumstances change and you do not tell us, we may backdate your charges to the date of that change. A sudden increase in capital, a sale of a property or a welfare benefits award may all be considered as a change in financial circumstances.
If you have some extra support from another person
We are happy for you to receive extra financial assistance from someone other than your spouse. We will not count that support as part of your income provided that you use it:
- to pay for something extra that the local authority would not provide; or
- to enable you to choose a more expensive care home than we would normally pay for
If you are already living in a care home and your capital falls below £23,250, ask us to arrange for a care manager to assess your care needs.
If you wish to stay in the same home, and we agree that the level of care provided meets your needs, then we may help with the cost. If you wish to remain living in a home which charges more than the Council normally pays, you may arrange for a relative or friend to pay the difference. This is called a 3rd Party Top Up payment, and it must be paid as part of a formal contractual agreement. This contract is between the person paying this additional amount, the council and the proprietor of the care home, this amount cannot be paid out of your own capital or income.
Further information
Find out more in our leaflet about what you should expect to pay for care services in 2024 to 2025 (pdf / 2 MB)
