Paying for care at home
Care at home can be paid for in several ways, and many families combine them. Here is how each route works, who it is for, and where to start.
Ways care at home gets paid for
Council funding
Your council assesses care needs for free, then means-tests what you pay towards care it arranges or funds.
NHS Continuing Healthcare
The NHS pays in full when care needs are mainly health needs. Not means-tested.
Attendance Allowance
£76.70 or £114.60 a week for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care. Not means-tested.
Carer's Allowance
£86.45 a week for a family carer who cares for at least 35 hours a week.
Direct payments
Money from your council, after an assessment, so you can choose and arrange care yourself.
Paying yourself
Many families pay privately, sometimes alongside benefits. Prices with LCH Care are shown up front.
Where to start
Ask for a needs assessment
It's free and anyone can ask. It shows what help is needed, and opens the door to council funding.
Check benefits
Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, so check it whatever your savings.
Ask about the NHS
If needs are mainly health needs, ask the GP or social worker about NHS Continuing Healthcare.
Support the family carer
A carer's assessment and Carer's Allowance can help the person doing the caring.
Different rules in each nation
The figures on these pages are for England unless stated. In Scotland, personal care is free for anyone assessed as needing it (mygov.scot). In Wales, the most a council can currently charge for care and support at home is £100 a week, after a financial assessment (GOV.WALES). In Northern Ireland, ask your local Health and Social Care Trust.
Rates and rules checked against GOV.UK and the NHS in October 2026. Benefit rates usually change each April.
Questions
Is care at home free?
Not usually, but help is available. Council funding is means-tested, NHS Continuing Healthcare is free for people who qualify, Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, and in Scotland personal care is free for those assessed as needing it.
Can I use funding to pay for a carer introduced by LCH Care?
Often, yes. Benefits such as Attendance Allowance can be spent on care, and many councils let you use direct payments to pay a self-employed carer. Check with your council or the NHS team before you arrange care.
What if we have savings?
In England, you will not usually get help from your council with care costs if your savings are worth more than £23,250. Your home is only counted if you move into a care home. Attendance Allowance and NHS Continuing Healthcare are not means-tested.