How to pay for a care home

You can choose to pay for care yourself if you're able to afford it or you don't want a financial assessment. This is known as self-funding.

Read more about paying for your own care.

Financial help from the council

Plymouth City Council could make a payment towards the cost of your care if you have less than £23,250 in savings.

Exactly how much the council will pay depends on what care you need and how much you can afford to pay.

The first step is for the council to do an assessment to check how much help you need. This is called an assessment of need.

It's important not to sell your home or cancel a tenancy before the council has made a decision.

Financial help from your family

The council won't look at your relative's finances when they assess you. But if your family are able to help pay towards the cost of a care home, they can add to the money the council gives you. This is known as a top-up fee.

This means you could live in a care home that costs more than the council will pay. If your family have to stop paying, you may have to move out.