Care Funding Guide for Gloucestershire

Despite how overwhelming it can feel, there are several funding options available for care in Gloucestershire. This guide explains how care home funding works, what support you might be eligible for, and where to get help.

Key Takeaways

Contact Gloucestershire County Council three months before your savings drop to £23,250
You might be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare if you have significant health needs
Deferred payment agreements let you use your home's value without selling immediately
Benefits like Attendance Allowance can help but may stop after four weeks in permanent care
Get professional financial advice, especially if you have complex assets
The 12-week property disregard gives you time to make decisions about your home

Understanding the Financial Thresholds

The amount you pay towards care home costs depends on your savings, assets, and income. Here are the key thresholds that determine eligibility for council funding:

Capital between £14,250 and £23,250: You'll be eligible for some support from Gloucestershire County Council, though part of your capital will be counted as 'tariff income' when calculating your contribution.

Capital above £23,250: You'll usually need to pay the full cost of your care yourself (known as self-funding) unless you qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare. Your home is included in this assessment if you're moving into permanent care.

Capital below £14,250: The council won't count your capital when working out what you can afford to pay.

When Your Home is Included (and When it's Not)

Your property is counted as capital for permanent care home placements, but there are important protections:

12-week property disregard: If your capital (excluding your home) is below £23,250, the value of your home is ignored for the first 12 weeks of permanent care. This gives you time to arrange finances without having to sell immediately.

Ongoing property disregards: Your home won't be counted if:

Your partner still lives there
A relative over 60 lives there
A relative who is disabled lives there (if they lived with you before you moved into care)
In certain circumstances where a carer gave up their own home to care for you

If you move into care for a short stay (under 12 weeks), your home shouldn't be included in the assessment.

Self-Funding Your Care

If your assets are above £23,250, you'll need to pay care home fees yourself initially. However:

Contact the council early: Get in touch with the Adult Helpdesk about three months before your funds drop to £23,250. They can arrange a care needs assessment and explain what support might be available.

Different rates: Care homes often charge different rates for self-funders compared to council-funded residents. Ask whether the home will accept council rates if your funds run out.

Check if you qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare: You might be eligible for full NHS funding if you have significant health needs (see below).

Deferred Payment Agreements

A deferred payment agreement lets you use the value of your home to pay for care without having to sell it immediately. It's essentially a loan from Gloucestershire County Council secured against your property.

How it works:

You pay a weekly contribution from your income and savings
The council pays the part you can't afford
The debt builds up and is repaid when you sell your home (or after death)
Interest charges apply, with rates set by the government and reviewed twice yearly

Eligibility:

You need permanent residential or nursing care
Your capital (excluding your home) must be below £23,250
Your home value must provide sufficient equity
You must own the property and have it registered with the Land Registry
You must have mental capacity (or a legal representative)

Important considerations:

There are fees for setting up and administering the agreement
You're responsible for maintaining and insuring your property
You can rent out your home to generate income (which reduces the debt)
The council will review your agreement when the deferred amount reaches about 70% of your equity limit

Learn more about deferred payment agreements

NHS Continuing Healthcare

NHS Continuing Healthcare is a package of care arranged and funded entirely by the NHS for people with significant ongoing health needs. If you're eligible, the NHS pays your full care home fees.

Eligibility: It's not based on a specific diagnosis but on whether you have a 'primary health need'. This means your care needs are mainly health-related rather than social care needs. The assessment looks at the nature, complexity, intensity and unpredictability of your needs.

How to get assessed:

Ask for a checklist assessment (from a GP, nurse, social worker or other healthcare professional)
If the checklist indicates potential eligibility, you'll be referred for a full assessment
A multidisciplinary team completes a Decision Support Tool
NHS Gloucestershire makes the final decision

Fast-track pathway: If your condition is rapidly deteriorating and you may be entering a terminal phase, you can be fast-tracked. An appropriate clinician completes a fast-track tool, and a care package should be arranged within 48 hours.

Success rates vary: NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility rates differ significantly by area. In Gloucestershire, about 7.3% of assessments result in eligibility, which is lower than the national average.

Contact NHS Gloucestershire about CHC

If you're not eligible for full NHS Continuing Healthcare but require nursing care, you may qualify for NHS-funded nursing care. This provides a weekly contribution towards the nursing element of your care home costs.

Benefits That Can Help

Several benefits can provide additional income to help with care costs:

Attendance Allowance: Tax-free benefit for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care due to disability or illness. Paid at two rates (£73.90 or £110.40 per week) depending on your care needs. Not means-tested, so your savings and income don't affect eligibility. You don't need to have someone actually caring for you to claim.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP): For working-age adults (under State Pension age) who need help with daily activities or getting around. If you're already receiving DLA and reach State Pension age, you can continue receiving it.

Pension Credit: If you're over State Pension age and on a low income, this tops up your income. You might also get extra Pension Credit if you receive Attendance Allowance.

Important note about benefits in care homes: Some benefits stop after four weeks of permanent care, including Attendance Allowance, PIP and DLA. Housing Benefit and Council Tax reductions also stop after four weeks. Your first four weeks of care home charges will differ from subsequent weeks because of this.

Find out more about benefits on GOV.UK

Getting a Financial Assessment

When Gloucestershire County Council agrees you have eligible care needs, they'll arrange a financial assessment to work out what you can afford to pay.

What's included:

Your income (pensions, most benefits, savings income)
Your capital (savings, investments, property if relevant)
Your regular essential costs
Disability-related expenditure

What's not counted:

Earnings from work
Mobility component of PIP or DLA
War Pension Scheme payments (except Constant Attendance Allowance)

Minimum income guarantee: The council won't leave you with less than the government's minimum income allowance for personal expenses after paying for care. This ensures you have money for clothing, toiletries and personal items.

You can estimate what you might pay using the council's online calculators before having a formal assessment.

Council-Arranged Care vs Self-Arranged Care

Council-arranged care: The council's Brokerage Team arranges care with contracted providers at agreed rates. The council only pays what's necessary for your level of care needs.

Personal budgets and direct payments: You can choose to receive funding directly and arrange your own care. This gives you more flexibility but also more responsibility. Direct payments aren't currently available for permanent care home placements.

Top-up fees: If you want to live in a care home that costs more than the council will pay, someone else (usually a family member) can pay the difference. They'll need to sign an agreement and understand that top-up payments must continue for as long as you need care. If top-ups stop, the council may need to move you to a home within their rates.

How to Get Started

If you need help with care funding:

Contact the Gloucestershire Adult Social Care Helpdesk:

Phone: 01452 426868 (Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm)
Email: socialcare.enq@gloucestershire.gov.uk
Submit an enquiry online

For NHS Continuing Healthcare enquiries: Contact NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board via their website.

Get independent advice: Consider speaking with an independent financial adviser, particularly one who specialises in later-life planning. The Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA) can help you find qualified advisers.

Choosing a Care Home in Gloucestershire

When selecting a care home, consider:

Whether the home will accept council rates if you become eligible for funding later
The location and facilities that matter to you
The home's CQC inspection rating
Whether they can meet your specific care needs
The home's approach to activities and daily life

At Brockworth House Care Home, we're based in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, and provide residential and nursing care including specialist dementia support. We work with both self-funding residents and those with local authority funding. We're happy to discuss your circumstances and explain how we can support you.

For more information about our care services and to arrange a visit, please contact us directly.

Care funding can be complex, and everyone's situation is different. Don't hesitate to ask for help from the Adult Social Care Helpdesk, NHS Gloucestershire, or an independent financial adviser. They're there to ensure you get the support you're entitled to and can make informed decisions about your care.

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