28 May 2026 · 8 min read
Paying for Live-in Care in the UK: A Plain-English Guide
Self-funding, local authority funding, NHS Continuing Healthcare, Attendance Allowance — what each one means in practice.
Funding care is one of the things families most often delay because it feels overwhelming. Here is the plain-English version.
Self-funding
If the person needing care has capital above the local authority threshold (£23,250 in England in most cases) they are usually self-funding. Live-in care is bought privately from carers introduced through agencies like CareSetup.
Local authority funding
Below the capital threshold, the local authority assesses needs and may contribute to the cost. Some authorities will pay for live-in care directly; others provide a personal budget the family can put towards it.
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
Where the primary need is a complex health need (rather than a social-care need), the NHS may fully fund care through Continuing Healthcare. CHC is means-test free but the assessment is rigorous.
Attendance Allowance
A non-means-tested benefit for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care. It is not enough to fund live-in care on its own but it helps.
Further reading
Our /funding-advice page goes into more depth and links to the official sources. Always confirm current figures with the local authority and Age UK.