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Paying for adult social care


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Your needs assessment will identify what care and support services you need. This is sometimes known as a community care assessment. 

Unlike health care, adult social care services are not free. We will work out a personal budget for the support you need.

If you have less than £23,250 in capital, you may be eligible for some help with the cost of your care. The amount you pay will depend on your:

  • capital
  • assets
  • income
  • savings, and
  • benefits

You may have to pay for all of the costs, or you may be able to apply for financial help. 

How to check if you are eligible for financial help

You can use our online financial eligibility checker to find out if you may be able to receive financial help.

Check if you are eligible for financial assistance

You can find out more in:

Where we arrange services, the total cost of the care is usually within a set price range. These costs are set out in our fees and charges. 

View our fees and charges

Applying for financial assistance

Once you have checked if you are eligible for financial help, there is a financial assessment process to determine how much you will have to pay.

Apply for a financial assessment

If you do not qualify for financial assistance

If you are over the funding threshold you can use our 'out of funds' calculator below. This will show when you may reach the funding threshold.

Once you have read what happens to your information, please click on the blue 'continue' button to access the calculator.

What happens to my information?

Cornwall Council handles information in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and Freedom of Information Act 2000 and is the data controller for the purpose of the Data Protection Act. Your information will only be used to handle your enquiry. For more information about how Cornwall council handles information please see our Data protection and freedom of information - Cornwall Council.

Do you own your own home, or own any other property?

The financial assessment rules are different if you own your own home or any other property and are in, or about to go into residential care.

Your property may be included as part of the calculation.

Therefore, we are unable to give you an estimate of your capital drop through this calculator.

What next?

If you are about to have, or have already had a needs assessment with a social worker then a full financial assessment will be the next step. There are several options available to enable you to pay the cost of your permanent residential care placement. We recommend that you seek independent financial advice to choose the best option for you. These options include a deferred payment. Further information can be found Deferring paying for your care - Cornwall Council.

Do you have more than £23,250 in savings and investments, including current accounts, savings accounts and stocks and shares?

What is the estimated total value of your savings and investments?

£ Enter the estimated value as of today's date. You can only enter numbers.
Don't include:
  • The value of your home
Do include:
  • Current accounts
  • Savings accounts
  • Stocks and shares
  • Investments

You've told us that the total value of your savings and investments is below £23,250, so you'll be eligible for support to pay for your care.

What next?

If you are about to have, or have already had a needs assessment with a social worker then a full financial assessment will be the next step. You can also use the Care contribution calculator - Paying for adult social care - Cornwall Council to get an estimate of how much you might have to contribute towards the cost of your care.

Do you receive a pension?

State pension amount received weekly

£ You can only enter numbers.

Private pension amount received weekly

£ You can only enter numbers.

Do you receive any benefits?

Don't include:
  • mobility element of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • mobility element of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Savings Credit

Estimate the total amount of benefits payments that you receive weekly

£ You can only enter numbers.

Do you have any other income?

Don't include:
  • earnings from work
Do include:
  • maintenance payments for an adult (not a child)
  • income from a trust

Estimate the total amount of other income that you receive weekly

£ You can only enter numbers.

What is the weekly cost of your care home?

£ You can only enter numbers.

Based on what you told us, we estimate that your savings and investments will pay for days of care at full cost before you reach the threshold of £23,250.

From today's date, this will take you to .

This calculation is an estimate based on what you have told us about your savings, income and the cost of your care.

If any of those things change you should use this calculator again to get an updated result.

Savings and investments
Pension
Benefits
Other income
Total weekly income
Less your personal allowance (sometimes called protected income)
Weekly cost of care home

What happens next?

Please complete the form Request help for an adult - Cornwall Council at least 90 days in advance of your capital reaching the capital threshold or call Adult Social Care on 0300 1234131

Phone Lines are open 9.00am – 6.00pm - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 10.00am – 6.00pm - Wednesday.

You will be asked to complete a Financial Assessment & provide further financial information once your needs assessment has been completed.

You can complete your financial assessment online in your own time using Online Financial Assessment Tool Financial assessment for adult social care - Cornwall Council.

Last Updated:

27/01/2025

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