Local authority funding for care in your own home

If you or a loved one needs help at home, your local authority may be able to pay some or all of the cost. This is called local authority funding, and it's the most common way people in the UK get help paying for care.

Local authority funding for care in your own home can mean several different things, depending on your needs and finances:

• Local authority arranged care: The council pays a care provider directly, in part or in full, after a financial assessment.
• Direct payments: The council pays money into your bank account so you can arrange and pay for your own carer.
• Minor adaptations and equipment: Free up to £1,000, such as grab rails or a raised toilet seat. Not means tested, so your income and savings aren't checked at all.
• A Disabled Facilities Grant: Up to £30,000 towards bigger changes, like a wet room or a stairlift. Means tested, so your income and savings are checked and may reduce what you're awarded.
• NHS Continuing Healthcare: Fully funded and not means tested, for people whose main needs are medical rather than social.
• Scotland's free personal care: Every assessed adult in Scotland gets free personal care at home, regardless of income or savings.

We'll walk through each of these, how eligibility works in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and how to apply. We also explain how live-in care fits alongside this funding.

Will your local authority pay for care at home?

It depends on two things: your care needs and your finances. Your council carries out a care needs assessment to work out what help you need, then a financial assessment (a means test) to work out how much you can afford to pay towards it. The rules on the means test vary slightly across the UK.

England

Your local authority may pay towards your loved one’s care at home if their capital, including savings and investments, falls below £23,250. This is called the upper capital limit, and it's held in place for the 2026/27 financial year.

If their capital is below £14,250 (the lower capital limit), their contribution is based on income alone. Between the two limits, they’ll be asked to contribute £1 a week for every £250 they hold above £14,250, known as tariff income. Their home is never included in this assessment if they’re being cared for there, only if they move into a care home.

The UK Government explains the full rules, with the exact tariff rate set out in the 2014 regulations.

Scotland

Scotland works differently. Free personal care has been available since 2002. Since 2019, it’s been extended to every adult assessed as needing it, regardless of age, income or savings. This extension is known as Frank’s Law. Free personal care covers tasks like washing, dressing and helping with medication. Other support, such as help with housework, may still be means tested by your council. It’s worth asking exactly what's included when you apply.

The Scottish Government explains the full rules.

Wales

Wales uses a different threshold for care at home than for care homes. If your capital is below £24,000, you may get help towards the cost of care at home. Weekly charges for home care are capped at £100, however much care you need. The £50,000 threshold you may have seen elsewhere in Wales applies to residential care, not care at home.

The Welsh Government explains the full rules.

How to apply for local authority funding for care at home

Applying follows three steps. None of them cost anything, and you don't need to pass a financial assessment before you're entitled to the first one.

1. Get a care needs assessment

Most councils let you request an assessment by phone, in writing, or online. Start by visiting your council's website to confirm their exact process, then ask for a care needs assessment. A trained assessor, often a social worker or occupational therapist, will talk through your loved one’s daily life and work out what support they need. This is free and available to everyone, whatever their income.

It usually takes four to six weeks. If your situation is urgent, say so when you apply, and councils will try to speed things up.

2. Get a financial assessment

If your needs assessment shows you're eligible for support, the council carries out a financial assessment (a means test) to see how much you'll need to contribute. If you've already had your needs assessment but haven't arranged this yet, get back in touch with your council to request it. The financial assessment looks at their income, savings and other assets using the thresholds above.

3. Get your personal budget

Once both assessments are complete, the council works out your loved one’s personal budget, the amount of money allocated to meet their eligible needs. You'll then choose how you want that money managed, which brings us to direct payments.

Direct payments: taking control of your funding

Instead of the council arranging care for your loved one, you can ask for direct payments. The council pays their personal budget into your bank account (or that of someone you nominate), and you choose and pay their carer directly.”

Direct payments give you more control over who cares for your loved one and how. Many Elder customers use direct payments to fund live-in care, and our care advisors can talk you through how that works for your situation.

You can’t use direct payments to pay for a care home, for NHS-provided health services, or for household bills unrelated to their care. For almost everything else connected to your assessed needs, including equipment, home adaptations or a personal assistant, the choice is yours.

Your right to direct payments

A council can’t refuse you direct payments just because it would rather manage your loved one’s care itself. The law sets out four specific conditions, and all of them have to be met before a council can say no:

• Your loved one (or someone nominated on their behalf) has the mental capacity to manage the payments, or agrees to receive them.”
• “The council isn’t barred by regulation from meeting their needs this way.”
• “The council is satisfied your loved one, or their nominee, can manage the payments.”
• “The council is satisfied direct payments are an appropriate way to meet their needs.

If your council refuses, ask for the specific reason in writing. Guidance to the Care Act is clear that direct payments are expected to be "an appropriate way to meet most care and support needs", so a vague refusal isn't enough.

Help with equipment and home adaptations

If your loved one’s care needs assessment shows they’d benefit from equipment or changes to your home, there are two routes, depending on the cost. You can also apply directly for a home equipment assessment without a full care needs assessment. A full assessment usually gives a fuller picture of what they’re eligible for, though.

Minor adaptations and equipment, free up to £1,000

Councils can't charge you for equipment or small adaptations that cost under £1,000, such as grab rails, a raised toilet seat or a key safe. This isn’t means tested, so it’s available even if your loved one doesn’t qualify for other funding.

Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), for bigger changes

For larger work, like a wet room, a stairlift or widening doorways, your loved one may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant of up to £30,000. Unlike minor adaptations, a DFG is means tested, and it’s available whether they own or rent their home.

Local authority funding or NHS Continuing Healthcare?

These are the two main routes to funded care at home, and they're assessed differently.

• Local authority funding covers elderly care and social care needs, help with everyday life such as washing, dressing, eating and getting around. It's means tested.
• NHS Continuing Healthcare covers people whose main needs are medical, such as help with breathing or complex medication. It’s not means tested and covers the full cost of care when they qualify.

It's always worth asking for an NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment first. Even if you don't qualify, you'll usually still get a copy of the assessment. This helps when you move on to your council's care needs assessment.

If your council says no

If you disagree with a decision, whether it’s about your loved one’s needs assessment, their financial assessment, or the amount they’ve been offered, you don’t have to accept it.

Start by asking the person who made the decision to explain it in writing. If that doesn't resolve things, you can complain through your council's official complaints procedure. If the council upholds its decision and you're still not satisfied, you can take your case to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Contacting your local MP is also worth trying, and can help unlock a stuck case.

Ian's story: live-in care advised by his local council

When Ian's dad's health started to decline, the family already had carers visiting morning and evening. It became clear that wasn't enough.

"We agreed full-time help was needed, and the Council advised us about a few companies including Elder", Ian says. His parents were unsure at first about having someone new in the house, but they wanted to stay at home, so they decided to try a live-in carer.

Ian's parents are both hard of hearing, so finding the right match mattered. Their carer, Donika, fitted in quickly, learning their routines and even playing dominoes with Ian's dad. For Ian, the biggest relief is knowing someone he trusts is there, even when he's away.

Read Ian's full story

How a live-in carer works alongside local authority funding

Many families use their personal budget, through direct payments, to arrange live-in care rather than council-arranged visits. A dedicated carer moves in to support your loved one around the clock, which can work out more cost-effective than several short daily visits, especially for higher levels of need.

Our care advisors can talk you through what funding you might be entitled to and how it works alongside Elder. This includes how direct payments are usually set up and paid.