Home care doesn't have to come entirely from your own pocket. Most people have access to at least some funding or financial support — but many don't know about it. This guide maps out all your options.
Our care costs £18–£22 per hour. Many people find they can offset a significant part of this through benefits and council funding. Check what you're entitled to before paying entirely from savings.
These benefits exist specifically to help with disability and care costs. Many people don't claim them:
Up to £108.55/week. For people over State Pension age who need help with personal care. Not means-tested. No upper savings limit. Over 1 million eligible people don't claim it.
Full guide →Up to £184.30/week combined. For people under State Pension age with a health condition or disability. Covers daily living and mobility needs.
Full guide →Tops up income to £218.15/week (single). Unlocks free dental, glasses, housing benefit, council tax reduction, winter fuel payment and more.
Full guide →£81.90/week. For family carers providing 35+ hours of unpaid care. Also unlocks Carer Premium in means-tested benefits.
Full guide →If your care needs meet the national eligibility threshold under the Care Act 2014, your local council may fund some or all of your care. The process:
The capital threshold in 2025/26 is £23,250 — above this you fully self-fund; below it, the council contributes to costs on a sliding scale.
Read our full Direct Payments guide →
If your care needs are primarily driven by health — rather than social or personal care needs — the NHS may fund all your care costs with no means test and no charge. This is NHS Continuing Healthcare.
Many people with complex conditions (dementia, MND, cancer, MS, COPD) who qualify never receive CHC because they — or their families — are not told about it.
To trigger an assessment, ask your GP, consultant, district nurse or social worker to request a CHC Checklist screening.
After a hospital stay, you may be entitled to up to 6 weeks of free care arranged by the council under the "Discharge to Assess" (D2A) pathway. This is available to anyone discharged from hospital who has care needs — regardless of savings or income.
This should be arranged by the hospital discharge team before you leave. If it wasn't, contact your council's adult social care team urgently.
If your income and savings are above the council's thresholds and you don't meet NHS CHC criteria, you'll fund care yourself. Ways to manage this:
Ekvarta charges £18–£22 per hour for care. Visit our pricing page for full details.
The funding landscape is genuinely complex. Free advice is available from:
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