Local Authority Care Funding: How to Apply (2026)

If a parent or partner needs care, the council won't step in on its own. You have to ask. The process runs through your local authority's adult social services and involves two separate assessments — one about the care you need, one about what you can afford. Neither costs anything to request.

How do you apply for council care funding?

The process has four stages. Each one has to happen before the next, so it's worth starting early — ideally before care becomes urgent.

1. Contact the council. Ask adult social services for a care needs assessment. You can do this by phone, online, or via the person's GP or a hospital discharge team if they're in hospital.
2. Needs assessment. A social worker looks at what care and support is needed — this has nothing to do with money.
3. Financial assessment. The council works out what the person can afford to contribute, using the means-test thresholds.
4. Care and support plan. If eligible, the council agrees a personal budget and how the care will be delivered.

You can find the official route to request an assessment on GOV.UK's guide to applying for a care needs assessment.

What's the difference between a needs assessment and a financial assessment?

These are often confused, but they answer different questions.

It's worth getting a needs assessment even if the person will clearly self-fund. It's the record of what care is actually required, and it can flag support the council can arrange or signpost even without paying for it — equipment, home adaptations, or a referral for an NHS Continuing Healthcare check if there's a significant health need.

What happens at the needs assessment?

A social worker or occupational therapist will usually visit the person at home, or speak with them in hospital, to understand:

• What they can and can't do for themselves — washing, dressing, eating, moving around, managing medication
• Any risks to their safety or wellbeing
• Their own wishes about where and how they want to be cared for
• What support family and friends already provide, and whether that's sustainable

You (or the person themselves) can ask for a family member or advocate to be present. If the person cares for someone else, they can also request a separate carer's assessment — see Carers UK for what that covers.

If the assessment finds eligible needs, the council moves to the financial assessment before setting a personal budget.

What happens at the financial assessment?

This looks at capital (savings, investments, and usually property, though a home is generally disregarded if a partner still lives there) and income (pensions, benefits, and other regular income). The council uses this to decide what the person contributes towards their care.

These are the current England thresholds — always check the latest figures, as they're reviewed periodically, via GOV.UK or MoneyHelper. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own limits and rules, so figures above don't apply if you're outside England.

What if the council gets it wrong, or you disagree?

You can ask for a review of both the needs assessment and the financial assessment. Ask the council in writing for its complaints procedure if a review doesn't resolve it. Keep copies of everything you're sent.

What if the person can't manage the process themselves?

If someone lacks the mental capacity to apply or make decisions about their care and money, a relative or friend with Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) can apply on their behalf and manage the financial side. Without an LPA already in place, applying for one after capacity is lost isn't possible — a deputyship through the Court of Protection is the fallback, which takes longer and costs more. If there's any chance of this situation ahead, it's worth setting up an LPA well before it's needed.

What is a care and support plan?

If the needs assessment finds eligible needs, the council sets a personal budget — the amount it will put towards meeting those needs. This is written into a care and support plan, which sets out:

• What the money is for and how it can be spent
• Whether it goes directly to a care provider or as a direct payment to the person or their representative to arrange care themselves
• When the plan will be reviewed

If you want a particular care home that costs more than the council's usual rate, a relative can often pay the difference through a third-party top-up — but this has to be agreed and sustainable, and the council should confirm the arrangement in writing before it starts.

What if you're self-funding — can you still get help?

Yes. Even if capital is well above £23,250, councils in England must provide information and advice, and can arrange care on a self-funder's behalf, sometimes for a small charge. This can be worth using, since councils often negotiate lower rates with local homes than an individual could get alone.

If self-funded savings are likely to fall towards the threshold over time, ask the council for a financial assessment before they do — not after. This avoids a gap in funding while the paperwork catches up.

Deferred payment agreements

If most of the person's wealth is tied up in their home and they don't want to sell it immediately, ask the council about a deferred payment agreement. The council pays care home fees on the person's behalf, secured against the property, and is repaid — usually with interest — when the home is eventually sold. Not every council offers the same terms, so ask what applies locally.

What about NHS-funded care?

Some people with substantial, ongoing health needs qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which is fully funded by the NHS and isn't means-tested at all. It's assessed separately from council funding, using its own eligibility framework. If health needs are significant, ask your GP, hospital discharge team or the council's assessor whether a Continuing Healthcare check-list should be done alongside the needs assessment.