Residential and nursing homes
If you need financial help you should contact your nearest Social Care team. You will be asked to complete a declaration of resources to help us assess your financial needs. There is a link to contact details for the Social Care teams on this page.
The following factors will effect how much you pay towards your care in a residential or nursing home:
Capital
If you have more than £22,250 capital you will not be eligible for financial assistance.
If you can reduce your savings to £22,250 or if you are concerned about funding your place in a home in the longer term, you can contact Social Care and ask for an assessment. If it is agreed that you need residential care, you could pay the full fees until your savings are reduced to £22,250 then your contributions would be assessed by the following means test:
If you own your own home
If you will be in a residential or nursing home for a temporary stay then the value of your own home is disregarded.
If your stay in a residential or nursing home is permanent then the value of your home is counted as capital. You will be assessed to pay the full cost of the residential or nursing home place.
If someone else lives in your home its value is disregarded if the person is your spouse or partner or a relative who is aged 60 or over, or is incapacitated.
Income
All income is taken into account in assessing your contribution towards the costs of residential or nursing home care, except for the following DSS benefits which are disregarded:
- Disability Living Allowance (mobility component)
- War Widow’s Special Payments
- Christmas Bonus
- Attendance Allowance (for temporary admissions only)
- Disability Living Allowance (care component) (for temporary admissions only)
- Income needed to meet home commitments. (for temporary admissions only)
- you are entitled to retain a weekly personal allowance of £20.45
Liability of your spouse
Husbands and wives are liable to maintain each other, so that the local authority can ask your spouse to make a contribution to the cost of your care.
