Care fees
What residential and home-care fees may cover, plus questions to ask providers.
Understand fees →For older people and carers
Long-Term Care Cost Planning
Understand what care might cost, who may contribute, and which questions to ask before making decisions about long-term care.
Understand care fees →Explore funding
Your care-cost journey
Six practical steps
Understand the care need
Consider care at home, supported living or residential care and what support is required.
Request assessments
Ask about a needs assessment, financial assessment and NHS Continuing Healthcare screening where relevant.
Compare actual costs
Request written quotes and understand what fees include and exclude.
Review funding
Check NHS, local-authority and benefits entitlements before assuming self-funding.
Identify a shortfall
Compare reliable income and savings against likely ongoing costs.
Review regularly
Care needs, costs, entitlements and family circumstances can change.
Explore care-cost topics
Funding and support
Understand NHS Continuing Healthcare, local-authority assessments and possible benefits.
Funding options →Planning options
Explore budgeting for care, practical next steps and specialist advice considerations.
Explore options →Important: Care-funding rules differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and may change. This site provides general UK information, not eligibility decisions or regulated advice. Contact the relevant NHS body and local council for current assessments.
Need a starting point?
Browse the guides, write down your questions and use our shared contact page when you are ready.
Contact the projectResources for this pathway
Useful guides and checklists
Long-term care funding: first steps
Practical steps, questions and a checklist.
Read guide →Trusted UK financial and care support
Practical steps, questions and a checklist.
Read guide →Learn more
More practical guides and resources
Care needs assessment explained
Read guide →NHS Continuing Healthcare basics
Read guide →Care at home versus residential care
Read guide →Understanding care home contracts
Read guide →Planning for a family carer
Read guide →Learn financial planning for your situation
Free educational lessons with practical exercises, explanations of risks and signposts for professional support.
Building a realistic long-term care budget
Understand how to estimate and review potential care costs.
Read lesson →Care funding assessments: the process
Understand the difference between assessing needs and assessing finances.
Read lesson →Care planning, powers of attorney and avoiding scams
Understand the practical safeguards that support later-life decisions.
Read lesson →