Working out how home care gets paid for is one of the most common — and most confusing — questions families face. Here’s a general overview to help you know what to ask next.
Paying Privately
Many people fund their own care, either from savings, income, or the sale of a property. This is often the most straightforward route in terms of arranging care quickly, since it doesn’t depend on an assessment process — but it’s worth understanding the likely ongoing cost before committing to a particular level of support.
Local Authority Funding
Your local council — Staffordshire County Council, for the Burton on Trent area — can carry out a care needs assessment and, separately, a means test to establish whether you’re eligible for financial support toward care costs. Eligibility depends on both the level of need and your financial circumstances, so it’s worth requesting an assessment even if you’re not sure you’ll qualify.
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
In some cases, where a person has significant, complex ongoing health needs, care may be funded by the NHS rather than the local authority. This is a specific, separately assessed route with its own eligibility criteria — if you think this might apply to your situation, it’s worth raising directly with your GP or a hospital discharge team, who can point you toward an assessment.
Direct Payments and Personal Budgets
If you’re assessed as eligible for local authority support, you may be offered the funding as a direct payment, giving you more control over choosing and arranging your own care provider rather than the council arranging it for you.
Where to Start
If you’re unsure which of these applies to your situation, the simplest first step is contacting Staffordshire County Council’s adult social care team for a needs assessment — this is free to request and will clarify what funding routes, if any, are available before you need to make any financial commitment.
How Angeli Care Services Can Help
We support both privately-funded and council-arranged care for families across Burton on Trent. If you’re still working out your funding situation, we’re happy to talk through your options and answer any questions about how our care packages work alongside whatever route you end up taking.
FAQs
Is home care ever free? It can be, if you’re assessed as eligible for full local authority funding, though this depends on both your needs and financial circumstances.
How long does a council assessment take? This varies by council and current demand — it’s worth contacting Staffordshire County Council directly for current timescales.
Can I switch between private and council-funded care later? In many cases, yes, though it’s worth discussing directly with the council and your care provider, since circumstances vary.