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Claiming benefits in a care home
You should still continue to get many of your state benefits when you move into a care home.
If you are entitled to help with paying for care, it’s important for you to claim all the benefits you are entitled to. Your Local Authority may assume you are getting all the benefits you deserve when they assess your financial situation.
This guide will help you make sure you’re getting the benefits you’re entitled to.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a tax-free benefit that helps with extra costs when you are disabled. It is made up of two parts (or ‘components’): a care component and a mobility component.
Moving into a care home should not affect the mobility component of your DLA. And it won’t be counted when your local council are calculating how much you should contribute towards the cost of your care.
If your Local Authority is helping with the cost of your care, the care component of your DLA will be paid for the first four weeks of your stay in a care home and will restart from the 13th week (or when you start self-funding).
If the NHS is funding your care home fees, both the care component and the mobility component of your DLA may be affected. Please contact the office that normally pays your DLA for further information.
Attendance allowance (AA)
Attendance Allowance (AA) is people aged 65 or over who need someone to help look after them because they are physically or mentally disabled. This is a tax-free benefit.
If you receive help with the cost of your care, AA will be paid for the first four weeks of your stay in a care home. It will restart again from the13th week, or when you start paying for care yourself.
Income Support and Pension Credit
Income Support is a benefit for people on a low income. Pension Credit guarantees a minimum income and can provide additional payments to people over the qualifying ages.
You can claim any Income Support or Pension Credit that you are entitled to if you live in a care home. If you are currently claiming these benefits as a couple, you should claim individually if either of you move into a care home.
These benefits will count as income when your Local Authority assesses your financial situation.
If your stay in a care home is temporary, you can claim Income Support or Pension Credit for up to 52 weeks.
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
Housing benefit helps people on low incomes cover the cost of their rent. Council tax benefit helps people on a low income pay their council tax bill.
If you are in a care home for a short break, or for temporary care, you’ll get your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit for up to 52 weeks. If you are in a care home on a trial period your Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit will stop after 13 weeks.
State pension
Moving into a care home doesn’t affect your State Pension – your pension is, however, counted as income when your Local Authority assesses your financial situation.
Carer's Allowance
If someone who cares for you is claiming Carer's Allowance and you move into a care home, then they must tell the Carer's Allowance Unit.
Important note: The information in this article is for general information only and should not be taken as financial advice. And although we’ve taken every care to make it accurate we can’t accept any liability for errors or omissions.
Help and guidance
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For help and guidance on aged care advice, call our contact centre at any time (we’re here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) on 0800 011 44 04 or fill in our contact form.
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Paying for care guide
Our free guide is an introduction to the different ways of paying for long-term care in a care home, from local authority funding to paying the full cost yourself.
Do you qualify for funding?
Find out if you qualify for financial help with the cost of care.