Paying the full cost of care

Sometimes when life gets difficult, you need to think about whether to:

continue living at home, or
move into a care home

You can contact Adult Social Care for advice.

Who pays the full cost of their care?

You will need to pay the full cost of your care and support if any of these apply:

You have more than £23,250 in savings and assets (capital).
You have a financial assessment. This shows that your weekly income after your expenses is more than the weekly cost of your care.
You have a needs assessment, but you are not eligible for adult social care services.
You do not wish to have a financial assessment.

Paying for your own care is also called ‘self-funding’.

Help if you pay for your own care

Find local care and support services

You can find care and support services on our directory, East Sussex 1Space.

You may wish to employ a personal assistant to help you with personal and household tasks. See: Find a personal assistant for care and support

Get support from an independent advocate

An independent advocate can help you to think through your situation and make decisions. They can help you to:

speak up for yourself and give your views
access services that can support you
understand your rights and choices

Find out more about independent advocacy.

Get advice on benefits you are entitled to

Welfare benefits helpline can offer advice on benefits that can help towards care costs. These include Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payments.

Find out how long your savings will last

Find out how long your savings and capital will last before you are eligible for financial support from us. Answer a few simple questions using our capital depletion checker.

Get independent financial advice

An independent financial adviser can help you to think about your options for paying for care. See: Get advice about money.

Deferred payment scheme for care home costs

A deferred payment agreement is a loan to pay for care home fees which is secured against your home. It may suit you if you cannot afford care home fees because most of your money is tied up in your home. Read more about deferred payment agreements.

Planning ahead for when you cannot manage your money

It is important to plan ahead and think about the future.

This includes what would happen if you lose mental capacity. You might not be able to look after your money or your property.

You can arrange for a trusted family member or friend to become a lasting power of attorney. They can support you or make these decisions for you. Find out more about managing someone’s affairs.

Your care and support needs

Adult Social Care can complete a Care Act needs assessment to work out what care and support you need.

Will Adult Social Care help arrange my care and support?

Care home or nursing home

If you are paying for your care in a care home, the contract will usually be between you and the home. In some cases, we can help you to arrange this.

Home care

If your assessment shows you are eligible for care and support to ensure you can live at home, we can help you to arrange this.

There are two extra costs for this – a one-time set up fee and an ongoing charge each time you get a bill.

You’ll also pay for your care, on top of these charges. The charges only apply if:

you pay the full cost of your care, which is arranged by the Council
you choose not to have a financial assessment and ask the Council to arrange your care

These charges only cover our costs and we do not make a profit.