Who are you interested in care for?
Please enter a UK postcode
In Northern Ireland...
There is a drive for more people, aged 65 and over, to be provided with care in their own homes. Most home care services are provided free. Health and social care have been intergrated into five health and social care trusts. They will assess what help you need.
What help can you get from ?
To be eligible for support you will first have been assessed as having at least a high or substantial level of need.
Care at home
From the age of 75, people are entitled to free care at home, although in practice most home care is provided free for anyone who is 65 and over. Charges are at the discretion of the local trust.
On average, over 65s in receive of home care per week, to the nearest quarter hour.
Data for the number of hours of home care per person per week is not available.
The average home care rate paid by the trust is an hour.
Data for the cost per hour for home care is not available for 2014-15.
The council spends an average of a week per person on home care.
Data for the average cost of home care per person per week is not available.
Who pays for residential care and nursing care?
The value of your home, once any debts such as a mortgage are paid, will be taken into account. That is unless a close relative or person with a disability lives there.
Residential care
weekly average fee paid by .
Data for the average rate paid for residential care, per person per week is not available.
£492* weekly average charge in independent residential homes in Northern Ireland.
If a care home charges more than the rate set by the Trust, then a family member or third party will have to agree to pay the extra money, often called a top-up fee.
Residential care with nursing care
weekly average fee paid by .
Data for the average rate paid for nursing care in a residential home, per person, per week is not available.
£643.00* weekly average charge in independent residential homes for nursing care in Northern Ireland.
If you are assessed as needing nursing care, the NHS will contribute £100 a week towards your care.
Notes
Information for 2013-14, except for average hourly rate for home care which is for 2014-15.
*Source:
Related Internet Links
In Wales...
Important changes are taking place in social care. From April 2016, everyone will have the right to have their need for help assessed. Â鶹ԼÅÄ visits will have to be long enough to meet the specific needs of that person.
What help can you get from ?
To be eligible for help, you must have needs. These criteria may change in April 2016.
Data for eligibility criteria is not available.
Care at home
No-one aged 65 and over pays more than £55 a week for home care. This figure will increase to £60 a week in April 2015. If you have savings or assets of more than £24,000, not including your home, you will be expected to pay for home care up to that limit.
On average, those eligible in receive of home care per week, to the nearest quarter hour.
Data for the number of hours of home care per person per week is not available.
The average home care rate paid by the council is an hour.
Data for the cost per hour for home care is not available for 2014-15.
The council spends an average of a week per person on home care.
Data for the average cost of home care per person per week is not available.
Who pays for residential and nursing care?
The value of your house, once any debts such as a mortgage are paid, will be taken into account. That is unless a close relative or person with a disability lives there.
Residential care
weekly average fee paid by .
Data for the average rate paid for residential care, per person per week is not available.
£513.00* weekly average charge in independent sector residential homes in Wales.
If you have assets above £24,000 you will pay for all your care. If you have assets of £24,000 or less, you may be entitled to some financial help from your local authority depending on the level of your income.
Residential care with nursing care
weekly average fee paid by for residential care with nursing.
Data for the average rate paid for nursing care in a residential home, per person, per week is not available.
£639* weekly average charge in independent sector residential homes with nursing in Wales.
If you are assessed as eligible, the NHS may contribute £120.56 a week to your care. Those with the most severe needs may be fully funded by the NHS.
If you have assets above £24,000 you will pay for all your care. If you have assets of £24,000 or less, you may be entitled to some financial help from your local authority depending on the level of your income.
Notes
Information for 2013-14, except for average hourly rate for home care which is for 2014-15.
*Source:
Related Internet Links
In Scotland...
In Scotland, anyone who is 65 or over is entitled to free personal care if they are assessed as needing help. That can include support to wash, dress and prepare meals. Anyone who needs care that requires a qualified nurse will also have that provided free by the NHS.
What help can you get from ?
If you are assessed by the council as having needs you should be eligible for help.
Care at home
Personal care is free
You may still be charged for some services, such as help with housework, laundry, shopping and the cost of supplying food.
On average, those eligible in receive of home care per week, to the nearest quarter hour.
Data for the number of hours of home care per person per week is not available.
The average home care rate paid by the council is an hour.
Data for the cost per hour for home care is not available for 2014-15.
The council spends an average of a week per person on home care.
Data for the average cost of home care per person per week is not available.
Money is paid direct to the care provider or direct to the person if they manage their own budget.
Who pays for residential care and nursing care?
The value of your home, once any debts such as a mortgage are paid, will be taken into account. That is unless a close relative or person with a disability lives there.
Residential care
average weekly rate paid by for residential care.
Data for the average rate paid for residential care, per person per week is not available.
£510* average weekly charge for independent sector residential care in Scotland.
If you are assessed as needing help, the council will pay £169 a week for personal care direct to the care home. You may still have to pay towards your accommodation, which makes up the remainder of the cost.
Residential care with nursing care
average weekly rate paid by for residential care with nursing.
Data for the average rate paid for nursing care in a residential home, per person, per week is not available.
£699* average weekly charge for independent sector residential care with nursing care in Scotland.
If you are assessed as needing help, your personal and nursing care will be paid for by the council. will pay £169 a week for personal care and £77 a week for nursing care direct to the care home.
You may still have to pay towards your accommodation, which makes up the remainder of the cost.
Notes
If the care home charges more than the council rate, you will be responsible for any extra costs, also known as top-up fees.
Information for 2013-14, except for average hourly rate for home care which is for 2014-15.
*Source:
Related Internet Links
From your income, benefits and assets you may pay
From your income and benefits you may pay
£100,000Over 5 years & 3 months
before reaching the cap on care costs
We estimate you could be entitled to some help before you reach the cap We estimate you may not be entitled to help before you reach the cap
How do independent sector and council rates compare?
a week
average cost for self-funders in {REGION}*
a week
average local authority rate in {REGION}
What happens when the cap is reached?
The local authority will pay the part of your bill that covers care costs.
You will still be responsible for your £230 a week living costs.
If your care home charges are more than the council rate you will have to pay the extra cost or top-up fee.
Can I get help with care costs before I reach the cap?
If you own a property, its value may be included in your council's calculation. If it is, from April 2016 you may get help before you reach the cap if the value of your assets, including your home and other things such as savings, falls below £118,000.
If your property is not taken into account, perhaps because your spouse will still be living in it, the threshold for help is £27,000. These limits will change over time as a result of inflation.
Once you drop below these thresholds an assessment is made to calculate how much the council will contribute to your care.
However, before that anyone with high care needs can claim attendance allowance from the Department of Work and Pensions. This is a universal benefit currently worth £81.30 a week. That has been automatically included in the calculation.
If you do not own a property the threshold for help is £118,000.
Will I have to sell my home to meet the costs?
Councils will only have to offer these if an individual has less than £23,250 in assets other than their property, although they are free to be more generous if they wish.
If someone does get a deferred payment they will be allowed to keep £144 a week for personal expenses, rather than the usual £24.40. This is to cover the extra costs of maintaining the property.
What if my care home charges more than the council rate?
If you are funding yourself, you will be able to ask your council to negotiate the care home fee for you. But many care homes say the local authority rate doesn't cover their costs.
The regional figures for self-funders and local authority payments are included in the results above.
Some people may choose to pay more to stay in a care home with better services and facilities. This is known as a top-up fee. Anything you pay above the council rate will not count towards the cap. Once you reach the cap, you will still be responsible for paying any extra costs.
How accurate are these figures?
The figures used in the care calculator are just a guide. They are based on several assumptions that may not be reflected in real life.
For instance, a snapshot is taken of your finances which assumes that they will not vary in the future. In reality assets, incomes and property can all change in value.
Our calculations have been checked by the Department of Health, and discussed with the National Association of Financial Assessment Officers and experts from a range of organisations, including Independent Age and the Strategic Society.
The original data comes from official statistics and freedom of information responses.
Independent sector cost information is provided by Laing and Buisson.
incomes and property can all change in value.
For more information about how we have produced this calculator and the assumptions we have made, you can read our .
Is a care home my only option?
to keep people in their home for as long as possible. Â鶹ԼÅÄ adaptations and the right support with daily tasks such as washing and dressing can help people avoid going into a care home.
From April 2016, the cost of care at home will also count towards the care cap.
These rates are lower than the fees for residential care
In your area the average council payment for home care is
a week
*Source: