Care Funding & Benefits
You might be eligible for care funding through your local council or the NHS, depending on your individual needs and circumstances.
Care Funding & Benefits
Care Funding & Benefits
You might be eligible for care funding through your local council or the NHS, depending on your individual needs and circumstances.
At Retons Care, we know that the cost of live-in care is an important factor when deciding what’s right for you or your loved one. While care can be a significant expense, funding may be available from your local authority or the NHS to help cover the cost.
Financial support is means-tested. This means your local authority will carry out an assessment based on your income, savings, property, and other assets. If your assets are below £14,250, your care may be fully funded. If you have assets between £14,250 and £23,250, you may be asked to contribute towards the cost. If your assets are above £23,250, you will usually need to pay for your own care in full.
Other factors, such as any benefits you receive or your specific care needs, may also affect how much support you are entitled to. We’re here to help guide you through the process and make sure you understand all the options available.
What does the local authority calculate?
When you apply for care funding, your local authority carries out a financial assessment to understand what support you may be entitled to. This means reviewing your income and assets to decide how much help they can offer.
Assets included in the calculation
Assets that are included in the financial assessment are wide-ranging. These include money held in bank or building society accounts, stocks, shares, national savings and premium bonds, and most other investment products. Any income from the Government, as well as personal or occupational pension plans, will also be considered.
Property and land are included, minus any outstanding mortgage. If you jointly own these assets, the total value is typically split equally to calculate your individual share, regardless of who contributed more.
Assets not included in the cacluation
Some assets are excluded from the assessment. This applies to property that you continue to live in, either on your own or with a partner or dependent. In such cases, the property is not counted when calculating live-in care funding.
Other assets that are usually not included are the value of life insurance policies, compensation payments held in trust or awarded by the courts, and some investment bonds that include a life assurance element — though it’s important to check with your provider to confirm this.
Bespoke live-in care
Care for couples
Respite live-in care
Traditional live-in care
Flexible live-in care
Care for couples
We also provide a live-in care for couples service which supports couples in their own homes from £1,400 per week. This makes the cost of live in care cheaper than if a couple were to move into a care home, where they would be charged for two rooms. It also means partners don’t need to be separated, and can stay together in their home while receiving the level of care they need.
Respite live-in care
Respite live-in care service means carers (who are often family members) can take a short break. Lasting from a few days to several weeks, respite live-in care can help minimise disruption to a home routine and lifestyle when your regular carer is away. Our respite live-in care starts from just £1400 per week, subject to a care needs assessment.
Traditional live-in care
With traditional live-in care, a care worker lives with you in your own home to provide one-to-one, consistent support, 24/7. This service is tailored to your preferences and specific needs. Whether you require personal care, support with household tasks, or help getting out and about, your live-in care worker will be there to support you every step of the way. Traditional care begins from £1400 subject to a care needs assessment.
Flexible live-in care
A care worker lives with you in your own home on set days each week to provide one-to-one, consistent support, 24/7. This could be to give your regular care worker or family member a well-deserved break, or to give you support doing the things you love. Felxible care begins from £695 subject to a care needs assessment.
Local Authority Funding for Live-in Care: Direct Payments
A direct payment is the amount of money your local authority may provide to help cover your care needs. If you are eligible, you can receive this money directly and use it to arrange your own care and support. This could include live in care at home, as long as your plan has been agreed with your local authority.
This allows local authorities to support people who want to stay in their own home by giving them control over how their care is arranged.
The first step is to contact your local authority’s adult social care team to ask for a care needs assessment. If you qualify, they will also carry out a financial assessment to determine what level of support you may be entitled to.
Every local authority has its own eligibility criteria, which are usually grouped into four levels of need: low, moderate, substantial and critical. You can request a copy of these criteria from your local authority.
Your level of funding will be based on both your financial situation and your care needs. The local authority will consider whether you will fund your care yourself, receive partial support, or qualify for full funding.
If you are eligible, direct payments give you the freedom to choose how and when care is delivered. You can select your provider, arrange the schedule that works best for you, and make sure your support is built around your needs. At Retons Care, we are here to help you make confident decisions and access reliable care that feels right for you.
You can find out more about direct payments here.
Local Authority Funding for Live-in Care: Direct Payments
NHS Funding for Continuing Healthcare
NHS Funding for Continuing Healthcare
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding is a full package of care provided and funded by the NHS for people with significant ongoing health needs outside of hospital.
If you are eligible for CHC, your care package is fully funded by the NHS. This includes any social care support you need as part of your day to day living.
To qualify, you must be aged over 18 and have a complex medical condition that results in substantial and ongoing care needs.
A Clinical Commissioning Group, also known as a CCG, will assess your situation and determine whether you meet the national eligibility criteria for CHC. If you are eligible, the CCG will also agree what type of support you will receive.
Even if you currently pay for your own care, you may still be entitled to non means tested benefits such as Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment.
If you have questions about CHC funding or would like help understanding your options, our team at Retons Care is here to support you. We can help guide you through the process and make sure you feel informed and confident in your care decisions.
Equity Release - Lifetime Mortgages & Home Reversion Plans
Equity Release - Lifetime mortgages and Home Reversion Plans
Lifetime mortgages
Another option to help fund care is a lifetime mortgage, sometimes called equity release. This allows you to continue living in your home while borrowing money against its value. You still own your home, but the lender provides you with a lump sum, a regular income, or a mix of both. The amount borrowed, plus interest, is usually repaid when the home is sold.
Home reversion plans
With a home reversion plan, you sell part or all of your property in exchange for a cash lump sum, regular payments, or both. You continue to live in your home rent free for the rest of your life. Once your home is eventually sold, the reversion company receives their agreed share from the sale proceeds. If you sell your entire home to the provider, they will receive all of the proceeds.
Financial advice disclaimer
Frequently Asked Questions
Your Questions, Answered with Care
01Do I qualify for live in care funding and support?
You may be eligible for some level of financial support through your local authority or the NHS. Whether you qualify depends on the outcome of a means test, which looks at the value of your property, savings, income, and other assets.
If your total assets fall below £14,250 in England, the local authority should fully fund your care. If you have income or receive benefits, you may be asked to contribute some of the cost.
If your assets are over £23,250, you’re likely expected to cover the full cost of your care yourself.
02Calculating your assets: what’s taken into account?
When your financial situation is assessed, the local authority will look at your savings, investments and the value tied up in property.
However, your home is not counted if your partner, a close relative aged 60 or over, or a dependent child lives there. And if you are receiving care at home, the home is not included in the assessment.
Joint assets are typically split in half. For example, if you have a shared savings account, only your portion will be considered.
03What is NHS Continuing Healthcare funding?
NHS Continuing Healthcare is a full care package funded entirely by the NHS. It is available to people with ongoing, complex health conditions and can cover the full cost of care, including social care needs.
There’s a formal assessment process to determine if someone qualifies. This is carried out by NHS professionals who review the person’s health needs and level of care required.
04What does self-funding mean?
If you are not eligible for public funding, you can still access live in care by paying for it yourself. This is called self funding. It gives you full control over your care—where, how, and with whom it is arranged—without needing approval from a local authority or the NHS.
