Will I have to pay for my care?
Work out who is likely to pay for care in England — NHS Continuing Healthcare, council funding, or self-funding — based on health needs, care setting, savings against the £23,250 and £14,250 thresholds, and whether a home counts in the means test.
This reflects the rules and capital thresholds for England (£23,250 upper / £14,250 lower for 2026/27); Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland use different systems and figures. It is general guidance, not financial advice — decisions about property and savings around care can be costly to get wrong. Free, expert help is available from Age UK, Citizens Advice, and MoneyHelper.
Is the care needed primarily because of complex, intense, or unpredictable health needs — rather than help with everyday living?
This is the NHS Continuing Healthcare "primary health need" test. Think advanced dementia with complex behaviours, conditions needing skilled nursing through the day and night, severe brain injury — not ordinary help with washing, dressing, and meals.
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