Adult social care and support

Paying for adult social care residential services

Most of the time you will be expected to pay for your own residential care. How much you have to pay will depend on how much capital you have (savings or investments and sometimes your former home if you are in full-time residential care) and how much money you have coming in weekly, which will include any pensions or benefits.

If you are able to pay for residential care services yourself, please see our paying for care page. However, if you require financial assistance, you will usually have to pay a contribution towards the cost of your stay in a residential or nursing home.

For information on planning ahead and things to think about to help you live the life you want to see Planning for your future.

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What information will I need to provide?

You will need to have accurate details of your:

  • savings and investments
  • income
  • outgoings

How much capital can I have?

You will have to pay the full cost of your care if your capital is above £23,250. This is called the 'capital threshold'.

If my savings are approaching the capital threshold, when can I ask for help?

If you tell us how much capital you have, what your income is and how much your care fees are, we can tell you approximately when you would be eligible for help. We should also be able to tell you how much you would have to pay.

What if I own property?

If you are a temporary resident we will not include the value of the home you live in. However, if you own any property or land other than the home you live in, the value will be taken into account.

If you are a permanent resident we will usually ignore the value of the property for the first 12 weeks of permanent care. If you own a second property its value will be taken into account from the date of admission.

See What happens to my home? and Deferred payments for adult care and support for more information.

If you are a permanent resident, your former home will not be taken into account if it remains occupied by:

  • your partner or spouse
  • a relative aged over 60
  • a relative aged under 60 who is incapacitated
  • a divorced or estranged partner with a dependent child
  • a child under 16 maintained by you

How much income do I keep?

If you are a permanent resident you will keep a minimum of £30.15 each week. You may keep more than this depending on the type of income you receive. You can also choose to keep more than this if you own a property and have a deferred payment agreement.

If you are a temporary resident allowances can be made for some of your housing costs. You will also keep an additional £20 each week for up to a maximum of eight weeks. This is to cover other outgoings you may have.

Will I be entitled to any welfare benefits?

We will tell you if we believe you are entitled to claim any benefits. It is important that you claim any benefits to which you are entitled as we include them in the charge we ask you to pay. We will offer to help you make a claim if you need us to.

What if I disagree with the amount you ask me to pay?

You can ask us to review the assessment at any time. If a mistake has been made or something has been overlooked we will correct it. The outcome of the review will be explained in writing to you. If you still feel the charge is more than you can afford, you may want to seek independent advice.

What if the care home costs more than the council will pay?

If you choose a care home that charges more than the council usually expects to pay, you will have to find somebody to pay a top-up. A top-up is the difference between what the council will pay and the cost of the home you choose. Family or friends can pay it on your behalf or, if we are taking your property into account and you can afford to, you can pay it yourself. The council must be satisfied that the person paying the top-up can afford to continue payments throughout the duration of your stay.

How do I pay?

We will send you or your representative a statement each month showing the amount you must pay. The easiest way to pay is by direct debit and we will send you a form to complete to set this up. You will also be able to pay by direct debit or credit care via our website, Pay for it – care services. Other ways you can pay are listed on the back of your monthly statement.

What if I have to pay the full cost?

If you have to pay for the full cost of your care (for example if you have savings over the 'capital threshold'), you can still ask the council to make the arrangements for your residential or nursing care and support services. The council can enter into a contract to pay the provider on your behalf and you will need to pay the council for all the costs incurred. If the council agrees to enter into a contract with your care provider, you will be charged a one-off administration fee of £364 to cover the costs. You will also be charged an annual fee of £140.40.

Is there any funding available from the NHS?

NHS Continuing Health Care is either care in a Nursing Home or care in your own home, arranged and completely paid for by the local clinical commissioning group (CCG). For more information visit the continuing healthcare web page.

Complete an Online Financial Assessment

You can complete a financial assessment now using our Online Financial Assessment tool to find out how much you may have to pay. You can complete the assessment for your information only, or you can choose to send the details to us for verification. You will need information on your savings and outgoings to hand before you start.

Charging Policy

Our Charging Policy for Adult Social Care services 2024 sets out our position on charging for support services in the community and residential or nursing accommodation.

Files available to download

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