Care Fees & Later Life2 min check

Care Means Test Checker (England)

Indicative check using the England capital thresholds. Wales and Scotland operate different rules.

Short answer

The local authority care means-test in England: assets below £14,250 = full council funding (you only contribute from income); £14,250–£23,250 = tariff income of £1/week per £250 above the lower threshold; above £23,250 = full self-funding. Scotland thresholds are higher (£21,500 / £35,000); Wales has a single threshold of £50,000 for residential care.

Step 1 of 20%

Calculation method, coverage and version

Inputs used: Type of care, Is the person a homeowner with no qualifying relative still living there?, Total capital (savings, investments, property if counted).
Calculation approach: The calculator applies the rules and assumptions described in “How it works” to the values you enter. Rounding can cause small differences from an official or provider calculation.
Coverage: Care Fees & Later Life. UK nations, tax treatment, local rules and provider criteria can differ; check the official sources shown below before acting.
Content version: No page-specific review date is currently published. Treat the result as indicative and verify current rules independently.

Not included unless explicitly requested: personal circumstances not entered, provider discretion, future rule changes, professional fees and case-specific exceptions. Read the full calculator methodology.

Primary sources and official verification

Use these official sources to verify current rules before acting. Coverage and dates can differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

NHS continuing healthcare guidance — NHS

See the sitewide source policy.

How it works

The test counts capital (savings, investments, second properties) plus income (pensions, benefits). The home is excluded if a spouse, dependent under-18, or relative over 60 still lives there. Pensions in drawdown count; pension pots untouched do not. The council leaves you a Personal Expenses Allowance of £30.65/week.

Worked example

Widow with £30,000 savings + £18,000 income, no spouse at home, going into care. Capital £30k − £23,250 threshold leaves £6,750 over → full self-funding for now. Once savings drop to £23,250, council steps in and tariff income kicks in.

Who should use this

•Anyone approaching care
•Couples checking impact of one partner going into care
•Self-funders projecting when council help will kick in
•Children helping parents plan

Common mistakes

×Gifting money to qualify — councils apply 'deliberate deprivation' rules
×Forgetting the home disregard for spouses still living in it
×Including untouched pension pots in capital (they're excluded)
×Not asking for a needs assessment alongside the financial assessment

Frequently asked questions

Is my pension income counted?▾

Yes — all pension income contributes after the Personal Expenses Allowance.

Will the council take my house?▾

Not if a qualifying relative lives there. Otherwise it counts after 12 weeks (12-week property disregard).

What about top-ups?▾

Family can pay 'third-party top-ups' for a more expensive room than the council rate, but the resident cannot top up themselves.

Related calculators

Care Home Fees Calculator →Care Funding Options →NHS Continuing Healthcare Checker →Attendance Allowance Checker →