Your questions answered

The Government is changing the way people pay for social care in England, to make care more affordable and fairer for everyone. Here you will find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about how social care charges are changing and who will benefit from the reforms.

About the reforms

What changes are you making to how people pay for social care?

The Government is changing the way people in England pay for social care.

Most people have to pay for social care. Right now, there is no limit to how much money you might have to pay. One in seven people aged over 65 face care costs of over £100,000.

Changes are being introduced to make the system fairer.

From October 2023:

An £86,000 lifetime cap on care costs will be introduced. No-one starting care from October 2023 will need to pay more than £86,000 towards their lifetime personal care needs. Previously, the amount you could pay was unlimited.
Individuals with less than £100,000 in savings and assets are likely to be eligible for help from their local council with their care costs. Currently only those with less than £23,250 are eligible for state support.
More people will be able to ask their local council to arrange their care for them to give them a choice of better value care.

For more information visit our paying for your care page.

When will these changes take place?

These changes will begin in October 2023. Any care costs incurred before this time will not be counted towards the cap.

Who will benefit from these changes?

These changes will support people of all ages receiving care, regardless of what type of care they receive. Younger adults will benefit from the same cap on care costs and means test as older adults.

Paying for your care

How much will I have to pay for my social care?

Most people have to pay for or contribute towards their social care. But more people will now be eligible for state support with paying for their care costs.

How much you pay for your care overall depends on the level of care you need, and how much money and assets you have.

Your care costs will typically be made up of your:

Personal care costs for help with tasks such as dressing, bathing, going to the toilet.
Daily living costs, if you live in a care home, such as food, rent, accommodation costs, and energy bills.

From October 2023 the amount you have to pay for your personal care costs will be capped at a maximum of £86,000, making it easier to plan ahead particularly if you need long-term care. This is equivalent to around three years in care.

If you are in residential care, your cost of living is not included in this cap. If you ask the local authority to commission your care, they will need to provide you with options where Daily Living Costs are no more than £200 per week. You can choose to pay more than this, if, for example you would like a nicer room.

If you pay for your own care and are already living in a care home in October 2023, you will be able to ask your local council to arrange your care from April 2025 at the latest.

Find out more on our paying for your care page.

Am I eligible for financial support with my care costs?

If you – or someone you care about – needs social care support, then the first step is to contact your local council.

The local council will carry out a care assessment to see what care you need, and a financial assessment to work out how much you will pay.

Depending on how much you have in savings and assets, you could be eligible for some financial support from your local council. From October 2023 if you have:

More than £100k in savings and assets: You will be expected to meet the full cost of your care until you reach the £86k cap.
Between £20k and £100k in savings and assets: Your local council will assess what you can afford to pay from your savings and assets and may pay for some of your care. If you cannot afford to pay from your income, you will be expected to contribute up to £1 in every £250 from your chargeable assets above £20,000.
Less than £20k in savings and assets: You won’t have to pay anything towards your care from your assets. However, you may still need to contribute from your income.

What’s included in your assets depends on your circumstances. If you or your partner still live in your home, the value of your home will be protected and won’t be included in the assessment. However, you may need to use some of your housing wealth to pay for your care if you move into a care home and your house is left empty.

Find your local council and contact them for an assessment.

Does this mean I no longer need to sell my home?

Currently there is no limit on how much people have to pay for their care. Until now, people have faced unpredictable costs and have not known whether they will need to sell their home to pay for them.

The reforms will help people plan for care costs so that they can choose to entirely protect their home in their lifetime and in the future. It caps the amount they will need to spend on their personal care costs. If you or your partner still live in your home, the value of your home will be protected. However you may need to use some of your housing wealth to pay for your care if you move into a care home and your house is left empty.

If this happens, under the new system, local authorities will continue to offer deferred payment agreements. This is where the council pays for your care bills and you repay the cost later when you choose to sell your home, or after your death.

This means you will not be forced to sell your home during your lifetime to pay for care.

Government is working with partners to review the existing scheme in order to provide more flexibility for people to defer their care payments.

Ask your council if you’re eligible for a deferred payment agreement.

I pay for my own care, and am currently not entitled to any support from the local council with my care costs. What do these changes mean for me?

Depending how much money and assets you have you may be eligible for financial support with your care costs when the changes come in. From October 2023 if you have less than £100,000 in chargeable assets you are likely to be eligible for help, so you may need to be reassessed by your local council.

Your chargeable assets are what the local council will take into account when carrying out a financial assessment. It usually means your savings but could also mean bonds or stocks and shares, and in some circumstances, your house.

The overall system will be also made fairer, to ensure those who fund their own care do not pay more than state-funded individuals for the equivalent standard of care.

What happens if I want to pay for more expensive care services?

You may choose to pay for more expensive care services than those recommended by your local council. In this case you can choose to top-up your care costs by paying the difference towards a more expensive service.

If you choose to pay top-ups, these costs will not count towards the £86,000 cap on your personal care costs and will be payable after you have reached the cap.

What benefits might I be entitled to?

If you or someone you love receives care you may be entitled to certain benefits. Depending on your circumstances this could include:

Attendance allowance
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Carer’s Allowance
Council Tax Support

Find out what benefits you may be entitled to.

Cap on personal care costs

What is included in the £86k cap?

Your care costs will typically be made up of your:

Personal care costs for help with tasks such as dressing, bathing, going to the toilet.
Daily living costs, if you live in a care home, such as food, rent, accommodation costs and energy bills.

From October 2023 the amount you will have to pay for your personal care costs will be capped at £86,000, making it easier to plan ahead particularly if you need long-term care. This is equivalent to around three years in care.

Your daily living costs are not included in this cap. If you ask the local authority to commission your care, they will need to provide you with options where Daily Living Costs are no more than £200 per week; you can choose to pay more than this, if, for example you would like a nicer room.

What’s not included in the £86k cap?

The £86,000 cap covers only how much you pay towards your personal care costs. It does not include the contributions made by your local council or your daily living costs.

Some things will not be included in the cap. These are:

Daily living costs like food, accommodation and energy bills.
Personal care costs you incurred before October 2023.
Any additional care you choose to have on top of what has been recommended by your local council.
Any top-up payments you choose to make to pay for more expensive care services.

What happens when I reach the cap?

Once you have paid £86,000 towards your eligible personal care costs, the Government will pay for any further personal care you may need. You will only have to pay for your daily living costs and any top up you choose to pay for more expensive care services.

I am already receiving care. Will I benefit from the £86,000 cap?

The new cap on personal care costs will be introduced in October 2023. This is to allow local councils time to plan and prepare for the changes.

Everyone receiving social care support will benefit from the peace of mind the cap on cost brings, from that point on, however any care you paid for before that date will not count towards the cap.

Does the cap vary by local authority area?

No. The new cap on care costs applies to everyone in England, regardless of your age, wealth or area you live.

Accessing social care support

What type of care can I receive?

If you – or someone you care about – needs social care support, then the first step is to contact your local council.

The local council will carry out a care assessment to see what care you need, and a financial assessment to work out how you will pay.

This could include:

Care home or sheltered housing accommodation
Help at home from a paid carer
Adaptions to your home such as stair lifts, wet rooms and ramps
Equipment to make daily tasks easier around the house
Walking aids like wheelchairs and walking sticks
Personal alarms and security systems to help you stay safe at home

For more information visit paying for your care page.

How do I get a care assessment?

A care assessment, also called a needs assessment, is carried out by your local council to find out what help and support you need.

Find your local authority and contact them for an assessment.

How do I get a financial assessment and what will be included?

A financial assessment is carried out by your local council to determine how you will pay for your care, and how much they can pay towards your care costs. It will look at how much money and assets you have including savings, property, and any other earnings or income.