How paying for a care home works in England
Your council does a means test (a financial assessment) to decide how much you pay. For 2026/27:
| Over £23,250 | You pay the full fees |
|---|---|
| £14,250 to £23,250 | You pay from your income, plus £1 a week for every £250 between the limits |
| Under £14,250 | You pay from your income only |
| Personal expenses allowance | You keep at least £31.80 a week |
Will I have to sell my home?
Not always. Your home isn’t counted if your partner, a relative aged 60 or over or who is disabled, or a child under 18 still lives there. If your savings are under £23,250, the home is also ignored for the first 12 weeks.
After that, a deferred payment agreement lets the council pay your fees and take its money back when the home is eventually sold, so you don’t have to sell it in your lifetime.
Planning for care fees?
A specialist adviser can explain care fee annuities, deferred payments and how to protect what you leave your family.
Find a care fees adviserWorked example
Dennis moves into a care home costing £1,300 a week. He has £60,000 in savings, a £350,000 house nobody else lives in, and £300 a week of pension.
| Money the council counts | £410,000 |
|---|---|
| He pays each week from savings | £1,000 |
| Until his money falls to £23,250 | About 7 years 5 months |
| Then he pays about | £304 a week |
He wouldn’t have to sell the house straight away. A deferred payment agreement would let the fees build up as a debt against it.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The rules are different. Scotland pays free personal and nursing care towards fees for people who need it, and Wales and Northern Ireland have their own capital limits. This calculator covers England only. We’ll add the other nations once we’ve checked their latest figures.
Questions
What is NHS Continuing Healthcare?
If your needs are mainly health needs, the NHS may pay all your care home fees, whatever your savings. Ask for an assessment before agreeing to pay.
Can I give my house away to avoid fees?
Councils can treat this as “deliberate deprivation of assets” and count the house anyway. Get advice before giving away money or property.
What does this calculator leave out?
Attendance Allowance and other benefits, NHS-funded nursing care, jointly owned homes, top-up fees, and the higher rate some councils pay. It’s a guide, not financial advice.