Funding Your Care

Social services-funded care

You will need to find out initially if you are eligible for Local Authority support with funded care. We advise you contact your local Adult Care Social Services department. They will assess your needs and will advise accordingly.

If your needs meet the national eligibility criteria, the law requires that it must ensure that these needs are met. As part of this process, it will assess your finances. This will determine how much it can fund for you and how much you may need to contribute yourself. If you’re eligible for funded care, your local authority will point you towards their nominated care provider. Alternatively, they may also recommend a local service if it is more suitable.

Personal budgets

If you are entitled to it, your local authority will sometimes pay what it can fund for you directly into your bank account. Referred to as a ‘Personal Budget’ or ‘Direct Payment’ you can use this entitlement to pay for care yourself.

Putting you in control over your own care, it allows you to buy care services from your preferred provider. If you can’t manage your Direct Payment yourself, you can choose to have it paid to a family member or friend, who would then take on the responsibilities for you.

Funding your own care

Self-funding (or pay as you go) gives you ultimate control over the type of care you receive and who provides it. You choose the level of assistance or support that you require and fund it via your own means.