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Getting financial help with care

More than 70 percent of people living in Bupa care homes get some financial assistance towards their care home costs. This includes funding from Local Authorities towards care and accommodation, from the NHS for nursing care and from benefits.

This guide offers information on how to go about getting financial help and where to go for further advice and information.

Three steps to getting financial help

There are three main steps to getting financial help:

  1. understand any benefits you’re entitled to
  2. have your care needs assessed
  3. review your existing finances

These will allow your Local Authority to determine what care you need, and if you are entitled to help with paying for your care.

1. Making sure you are getting the right benefits

Before asking your Local Authority for financial help towards paying for your care, make sure you are receiving any benefits you're entitled to. This is important because your financial assessment will assume you are getting all the benefits that you can.

Benefits may change when you move into a care home, so it is important to make sure everything is up-to-date.

More about care homes and claiming benefits

2. Getting your Local Authority – and the NHS if necessary – to assess your needs

If you feel that your medical needs require it, you should talk to your GP. They’ll refer you to your Local Authority’s social services department who will assess your care needs and carry out a financial assessment (see below) to work how much financial assistance you’re entitled to towards your care and accommodation.

If you need nursing care, your Primary Care Trust will assess you as you may qualify to have some, or all of your nursing costs paid by the NHS. The NHS usually pays £108.70* per week in England, £72.00* per week in Scotland and £120.55* per week in Wales towards the cost of nursing care. Some people, particularly those needing ongoing, specialist treatment, may have the full cost of their care paid for.This is called 'continuing health care'.

Health and social care assessments

* Figures correct as of January 2011

3. Getting your Local Authority to assess your finances 

Your Local Authority will look at your income (including pension or benefits) to decide whether you're entitled to help with care fees.

They’ll also look at your capital (for example, property, savings or investments). The amount of capital you have can also affect how a Local Authority calculates what you are entitled to - or whether you’ll qualify for help at all. 

How capital affects your financial assessment

Once your income has been assessed, any income above £22.60* a week (for England or Scotland) or £23.00* (for Wales) is considered money you can afford to pay towards the cost of your care.

If your weekly income is more than the total of your care home fees plus £22.60* a week (for England or Scotland) or £23.00* (for Wales), you’ll be expected to pay for care yourself.

* Figures correct as of May 2011

A care home that meets your needs

Having assessed your needs and worked out how much you can afford to pay towards your care, your Local Authority will let you know what funding you are entitled to and offer you a list of care home options. You still have the right to choose your care home. However, if you choose a care home whose fees exceed the amount of your financial help, you will need to pay the difference. This is called a 'top-up fee'.

Choosing a care home

When your circumstances change

Most Local Authorities only review financial assessments annually. So, if your capital or income changes significantly during the year, you should let them know.

Try our interactive Funding Indicator

Our online tool can also help you to work out whether you qualify for financial assistance.

Use our funding indicator

 

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

We’re experts and we’re here to help you.

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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Next steps

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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.

Download guide

Do you qualify for funding?

Find out if you qualify for financial help with the cost of care.

Funding indicator