Care Home Means Test Calculator

In England, if you have capital above £23,250 you pay the full care home cost yourself (self-funder). If capital is below £14,250, the local authority funds your care (subject to income contributions). Between £14,250 and £23,250, you pay 'tariff income' of £1 per week for every £250 of capital above the lower threshold.

Your home is usually excluded from the capital assessment if: your spouse or civil partner still lives there, a dependent child lives there, a close relative aged 60+ or who is incapacitated lives there, or the local authority decides to exercise its discretion to exclude it. After 12 weeks, the local authority may require repayment from your property value through a deferred payment agreement.

Tariff income is a weekly deemed income of £1 per £250 (or part of £250) of capital between the lower (£14,250) and upper (£23,250) thresholds. This is added to your actual income to calculate your contribution. For example, £5,000 above the lower threshold generates £20 per week of tariff income.

When calculating your contribution from income, the local authority must leave you a minimum personal expenditure allowance — currently £30.15 per week in England. This is for personal items like toiletries, newspapers, and clothing. Your contribution from income cannot exceed your income minus this allowance.

HMRC and local authorities have 'deprivation of assets' rules. If you give away money or property to reduce your assessed capital, the local authority can treat you as if you still have those assets (notional capital). There is no time limit on challenging asset transfers made with the intention of avoiding care costs.

If you own a home but don't have enough liquid capital to fund care, a Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA) allows the council to pay for your care and recover the money from the eventual sale of your property. Interest is charged (at a rate set by the Department of Health). This prevents immediate forced home sales.

Yes — thresholds vary significantly. Scotland has free personal care for those over 65 who need it, regardless of capital. Wales has a higher upper threshold (£50,000). Northern Ireland uses different rates. Always check the rules for the specific UK nation where care is received.

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is free NHS-funded care for people whose primary need is health-related (not social care). If assessed as eligible for CHC, the NHS pays the full cost of care home fees — regardless of your capital. Eligibility is assessed via the NHS Decision Support Tool.