Author and Publication
Author: Ben Slater, Registered Social Worker, Founder and Managing Director of Nellie Supports
Reviewed by: Kerry Slater, Director of Operations
Last reviewed: 20 July 2026
Citation
1. Department of Health and Social Care (2022) National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-framework-for-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care
2. Care Act 2014, c. 23. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/contents
3. Department of Health and Social Care. Care and support statutory guidance. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance
4. R v North and East Devon Health Authority, ex parte Coughlan [2000] 2 WLR 622.
Copywright
Copyright © 2026 Nellie Supports Ltd. All rights reserved.
This article is made available for general information, education and professional reference. It may be downloaded, printed and shared for non-commercial purposes, provided that it is reproduced in full, is not altered in any way, and is properly cited as the work of Nellie Supports Ltd. This material must not be edited, adapted, sold, republished, incorporated into commercial products, or used for commercial training, assessment, report-writing or advisory services without prior written permission from Nellie Supports Ltd.
This article does not constitute legal advice, clinical advice or a substitute for a decision-specific professional assessment. Where legislation, government guidance, court forms or external professional materials are referred to, those materials remain subject to their own copyright, licensing and re-use terms.
Abstract
This guide addresses NHS Continuing Healthcare for people paying privately for their own care. It explains why self-funders are the group most likely never to be assessed, that eligibility does not depend on means, how to request an assessment when no local authority is involved, the position on care already paid for, and the practical steps to take.
NHS Continuing Healthcare for self-funders
People paying for their own care are the most likely to be eligible for NHS funding and never to be assessed for it. There is no organisation with a reason to raise it, so nobody does.
Why self-funders get missed
Where a local authority is funding care, it has a direct financial interest in establishing whether the NHS should be responsible, so the question tends to get asked. Where a family is paying privately, no organisation has that interest. The care home is being paid, the council is not involved, and the Integrated Care Board has not heard of the person.
Eligibility does not depend on means
NHS Continuing Healthcare is not means tested in any respect. Savings, income and property are irrelevant to both eligibility and the package that follows. Being able to afford care has no bearing on entitlement, and a person with substantial assets is assessed on exactly the same basis as anyone else.
How to request an assessment
Contact the Integrated Care Board's continuing healthcare team for the area directly and ask for a Checklist. You do not need to go through a local authority and you do not need a professional to make the request. Put it in writing with a short summary of the needs prompting it, and ask for confirmation of receipt.
Nobody has to refer you
A common obstacle is being told a referral must come from a professional. Any trained health or social care professional can complete a Checklist, and a request from a family member should not be refused because of who made it. Ask the GP, district nurse or care home manager, and contact the Board directly as well.
Care already paid for
Where care has been funded privately during a period when NHS Continuing Healthcare should have applied, that period may be recoverable. Claims covering past periods operate under separate arrangements with their own cut-off dates, so establish which route applies before building a case, and act rather than waiting.
What to do now
Request a Checklist in writing. Start gathering care records, including night records, for the period since care began. Keep every invoice and contract. If a property decision or a funding product is being contemplated, establish the NHS position before committing, because it is far easier to resolve beforehand.
Key takeaway
Nobody has a reason to raise this for a self-funder, so you have to. Eligibility is not affected by wealth, you can request a Checklist directly from the Board without any referral, and periods already paid for may be recoverable.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you get CHC if you are paying privately?
Yes. NHS Continuing Healthcare is not means tested, so savings, income and property are irrelevant to eligibility. Being able to afford care has no bearing on entitlement.
Why has nobody mentioned it to us?
Because no organisation has an interest in raising it where a family is paying privately. The care home is being paid, the council is not involved and the Board has not heard of the person.
Do we need a professional referral?
No. A request from a family member should not be refused because of who made it. Contact the Integrated Care Board's continuing healthcare team directly and ask for a Checklist in writing.
Related NHS Continuing Healthcare pages
These links take you to the most relevant Nellie Supports service page and to the supporting guides that explain the surrounding process.
Speak to an independent CHC specialist
Nellie Supports prepares independent needs evidence for NHS Continuing Healthcare assessments, reviews and appeals across England and Wales. Our reports are written by registered social workers on a permanent employed team, with internal peer review before release. Call 0333 987 5118 or send an enquiry and we will talk through where you are in the process.