How care is paid for in England
Four things decide who pays: how much capital you have, how much income you have, whether your needs are health needs, and where the care happens. Start here.
Upper capital limit
£23,250
Above this you pay the full cost
Lower capital limit
£14,250
Below this your capital is ignored
Personal expenses allowance
£31.80
A week, if the council funds your care home
NHS-funded Nursing Care
£267.68
A week, paid to your nursing home
2026/27 rates for England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own.
Council funding for care: the means test explained
How your council decides whether it pays towards your care, what counts as capital and income, and what you are left with.
Read moreNHS Continuing Healthcare: free care with no means test
If your needs are primarily health needs the NHS pays for all your care, whatever your savings. How eligibility is decided and how to prepare.
Read moreNHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC)
A weekly NHS payment towards the nursing element of a nursing home place, for people who need nursing care but do not qualify for full CHC.
Read moreDirect payments and personal budgets
Take your council care budget as cash and arrange support yourself. What you can spend it on, what you cannot, and the responsibilities that come with it.
Read morePaying for your own care
What self-funders can still claim, the free help you are entitled to, and how to make care money last.
Read moreAccess to Work
Grants for disabled people to get or stay in work. Not means tested, does not affect your benefits, and never repaid.
Read moreDisabled Facilities Grant
A council grant of up to £30,000 for home adaptations, and not means tested at all for a disabled child.
Read moreSection 117 aftercare
Free mental health aftercare that cannot be charged for, has no time limit, and is routinely missed.
Read more