How Care Funding Works
Who pays for care in England and Wales?
Adult social care is not free. If someone needs care, the council can carry out a care needs assessment to decide what support they are eligible for, followed by a financial assessment (the means test) to decide who pays. The calculator above uses the national 2026/27 means-test rules to give you an early estimate before you speak to the council or a care provider.
How the means test works in England
Savings over £23,250: you pay the full cost of your care and are known as a self-funder.
Savings between £14,250 and £23,250: the council contributes. You pay from your income, plus £1 a week for every £250 of savings over £14,250 (called tariff income).
Savings under £14,250: your savings are ignored, but your income still counts towards the cost.
In a care home you keep at least £31.80 a week for personal expenses. For care at home you keep a minimum income guarantee, which is £241.45 a week for a single person over Pension Credit age. These capital limits have not risen since 2010.
How it works in Wales
Care home: if your savings and other capital are £50,000 or less, the council helps with the cost and your capital is not used to pay for care. Your income still counts, and you keep a set amount each week for personal items. Over £50,000, you are likely to pay the full cost.
Care at home: councils in Wales cannot charge more than £100 a week. You may pay up to that maximum if you have savings over £24,000 (not counting your home) or a high income.
Will the house have to be sold?
Not always, and rarely straight away. The home is never counted if care is provided in your own home. It is also ignored if a partner, or a relative aged 60 or over or with a disability, still lives there.
For a permanent move into a care home, the home is ignored for the first 12 weeks. After that, a deferred payment agreement lets the council pay the fees and recover the money later from the sale or the estate, usually with interest and an admin fee.
Be careful about giving away money or property to get below the limits. Councils can treat this as deliberate deprivation of assets and assess you as if you still had them.
Nursing homes and NHS funding
If you live in a nursing home, the NHS pays a contribution towards your nursing care, called NHS-funded nursing care. In England this is £267.68 a week from 1 April 2026. It is paid directly to the home and does not depend on your savings or income.
Some people qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which pays for care in full when needs are mainly health-related. That depends on a detailed assessment of needs rather than money, so the calculator does not estimate it.
Paying for your own care? Get an independent assessment
If you are paying for your own care, it is easy to end up with more care than you need, or the wrong type. An independent care needs assessment by a Social Work England registered social worker sets out what support is actually needed, with a written report within one week.
That helps you choose the right care, avoid paying for services you don't need, and gives you evidence if needs change later. Our care needs assessment is a fixed fee of £650, and every enquiry starts with a free 30-minute consultation.