Paying for your care
You can find how to set up your payments on the Hull City Council website.
To decide what you can afford to pay, we will carry out a financial assessment by taking into account your income and assets. We will then calculate how much you can afford to pay towards your care and support costs.
Sometimes you will be required to pay the full cost and sometimes the cost will be shared between you and the council.
If you are receiving care in a residential or nursing home, all your income and savings will be taken into account in your financial assessment.
If you own a property and it doesn’t qualify for what we call a disregard, the value of the property will be part of your financial assessment after 12 weeks of your permanent admission in to care. You will not be required to sell your property. Instead, you can enter into a deferred payment agreement with us.
The value of your home will not be taken into account while it remains the home of any of the following people and who will continue to live there after you have moved into a care home -
- your partner or spouse, that is to say husband, wife, civil partner
- a close relative aged over 60
- a relative aged under 60 who is incapacitated
- a divorced or estranged partner - if they are a lone parent
- a child under 16 dependent on and who is maintained by you
If any of the above people move into the property with the intention of gaining the disregard for you, we will include its value.
There is no charge for an initial care needs assessment, but Adult Social Care is not a free service.
You may be able to receive financial support towards the cost of services you receive. The amount of help you are entitled to depends on your financial situation and is affected by your savings, investments, benefits and earnings.
You can find out what your contribution towards your care might be, by completing our quick and easy paying for care calculator.
What counts as income
Your income includes any occupational or private pension and benefits you receive such as: -
- attendance allowance
- disability living allowance (care component)
- income support
- pension credits
- state retirement pension
- occupational pension
The attendance allowance and disability living allowance (care component) are only payable for the first 4 weeks of a permanent stay if funded by the council. You will then have to relinquish these benefits. If you are self funding you may retain these benefits.
Income not counted towards my assessment
This includes -
- charitable or voluntary payments
- civilian war injury pension
- service attributable disablement pensions and widows pensions
- war widows or widowers pension
- war disablement pensions and war widows and orphans pensions
- the mobility element of disability living allowance
What is capital?
Capital can be -
- bonds and premium bonds
- cash
- money held in banks and building societies
- stocks and shares
- the value of property you own by yourself and with someone else
If you have more than £23,250 in capital, you will be required to pay the full fee, until your capital falls below £23,250.
When your capital falls below £23,250 and your income is not sufficient to meet the home fees in full, you may be eligible for financial support from us.
We don’t take into account the first £14,250 of your capital. That means you will always be left with at least £14,250.
Every £250 you have between £14,250 and £23,250 is assessed as if you have an assumed (or ‘tariff’) income. For every £250 or part of £250 above £14,250, you are treated as if you have an extra £1 per week.
Download our Paying for Care handbook (PDF,1.69MB)
Deferred Payment Scheme
If you have been assessed as having to pay the full cost of your residential care placement, but you cannot afford to pay the full weekly charge because most of your capital is tied up in your home you may be entitled to a Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA).
Find out more about Deferred Payment Agreement
Who doesn't have to pay for care
In some circumstances you will not need to have a financial assessment and you won't have to pay towards your care and support.
You will not have to pay if you -
- receive support from Intermediate Care or Reablement Services, for example if you have a short period of care to help you after a stay in hospital
- are receiving care and support under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 2007
- are receiving care and support under Continuing Health Care (CHC) funding by the NHS
- have needs which can be met by equipment or a minor adaptation, to help you to continue living at home