You live in a care home

Your savings are likely to drop below £23,250

To ensure you do not miss a payment to your care home you should request a care assessment at least 6 months before your savings and assets (not including the cost of your home) drop below £23,250.

To find out about financial assessments and contributions read the charging for residential care

Check if you can stay in your current care home

• Will your care providers allow you to stay while you apply for funding.
• Do they accept the local authority rate.
• Can you move to a more affordable room within the same home. 
• You might also have someone willing to ‘top up’ the amount you and the council can afford, this might be a family member. Care costs increase each year so make sure whoever is paying understands how much they’d need to budget for. 

If you need to move to a cheaper home 

If following assessment, we agree that you need to have 24 hour support in a care home, we will offer you a choice of two care homes that can meet your care needs or at the level of your personal budget following your financial assessment.

Depending on availability of care homes and your care needs the options may not be in the same area where you currently live.

If you choose not to accept either of the two care homes we have offered, you will need to find a care home you can afford within your personal budget.

Benefits and financial support

Find out about the benefits you may be entitled to get to help with your living costs.

If you have already run out of money

You must contact your care home immediately to advise them that you cannot pay your bills, then request a care assessment, as soon as possible.  

If your provider won’t accept a local authority rate, they may serve notice and you will still be liable for any debt that has or continues to accrue. Please let us know if this is the case and we will work quickly to help you find an alternative home.

Contact our Health and Social Care Hub on 0300 365 1234