There are several different ways to fund your home care needs.
- Depending on your income and savings, you may be eligible for local authority funding (Direct Payment, CCG, NHS).
- You could pay for your care yourself.
- Your family member may agree to pay for care.
- You might be able to do a combination of these.
Local Authority Funding
Social Services will be able to fund all or part of the care costs if your savings fall below the upper capital limit of £23,250 (or £100,000 from October 2025). This does not include the value of your own property.
In this case, the first step is to ask Nottinghamshire County Council Social Services department to arrange a Community Care Assessment. You can call them on the golden number: 0300 500 8080.
If the person who needs care is eligible to receive council-supported care services, the local authority will decide a budget based upon their care needs. It is possible to agree with the council that they will pay the agreed costs of care to your pre-payment card. This gives you greater choice in the way the money is spent and means you can more easily to add to those funds if you are able to do so.
Your Home Care will be able to advise you on how best to make the application.
It is possible that the funding offered by the council will not completely cover the cost of the ideal care package. In this case it is possible for the person receiving care, or a family member, to top up Social Services funding to the amount needed.
You can pay for the care yourself – Self Funding
If you, or a family member, are paying directly for care then this is an agreement between you and the care provider. However, your local council can still provide advice.
If you have more than £23, 250 in savings, you will be expected to pay for care yourself. You may be able to do this via the council, who will then invoice you for the costs. If your savings fall below the £23,250 threshold, you can apply to the council’s Brokerage Team. for an assessment and support. When your savings are between £23,250 and £14,250 you will need to contribute. Savings below £14,250 will not be counted.
More Information
You can find more information about funding care at these websites:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/introduction-to-care-and-support/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/money-work-and-benefits/
https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/care/adult-social-care/paying-for-care
Make sure you are accessing all the benefits you may be entitled to. These could include
- The Attendance Allowance
- The Personal Independence Payment (for those under state pension age)
These benefits are not means tested.
If you have a pension or other income, you can decide to use this to pay for the care you need, or to top up council funding.
NHS funding
In some circumstances, the NHS will cover the cost of your care.
- You may be entitled to NHS Continuing Health Care if you have complex and serious health conditions
- The NHS will usually pay for your care for six weeks after leaving hospital. Depending on agreements between local NHS trusts and the council, the council may cover this cost instead.
- Where you need nursing care (for example for injections or to change dressings), this will be provided by the NHS.
- NHS Personal Health Budgets can be used to pay for health and care support. The details are agreed with the individual and cannot be combined with a broader care package. However, the person requiring care can agree for separate additional care independently with a care provider.
Some costs of care are not means tested
You can find out more here.
Other useful links
Nottinghamshire County Council:
Age UK:
