Paying for your care and support

If you are assessed as having un-met, eligible care and support needs, we will use your assessment to identify your needs and work out how much it will cost to support them.

We will then assess your finances to work out your contribution to meeting the costs associated with your care and support plan.

Charges will start from the date you start receiving services from us. However, they charges won't come into effect until we finish your financial assessment.

To carry out the financial assessment, we will need to know about:

• your income
• your expenditure
• your savings
• any other assets

We will then:

• check to make sure that you’re receiving all the correct benefits. If this is not the case, we will tell the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) who will help claim all benefits you are eligible to receive
• calculate what you can afford to pay
• explain how you can pay
• ensure that you fully understand what will happen in the future if anything changes with your finances 

You will then receive your first invoice within seven weeks of the visit, or a letter explaining why this is not possible.

If you have assets over £23,250, you’ll usually pay all your care costs. This is called being a 'self-funder'.

For more information you can:

• visit the CareChoices website for self-funding advice
• you may also want to get independent financial advice

A Deferred Payment Agreement is an arrangement you can make with us that will let you use the value of your home to assist with paying your care home costs.  This means that you do not have to sell your home to pay for your care.

If you are eligible, we will help pay your care home costs on your behalf. You can delay repaying them back until you choose to sell your home, or until after your death.  In these arrangements, you will sign a legal agreement, stating that the money will be repaid when your home is sold.

It is important to recognise that deferred payments are only one way to pay for your care. You should always seek legal and financial advice to explore your options before making any final decision.

See further information and how to apply for the deferred payment scheme (PDF)

MoneyHelper also has information about deferred payment agreements.

Read the Adult Social Care's Fairer contributions policy (PDF).

Read the London Borough of Waltham Forests Residential care charging policy