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. The Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014, SI 2014/2672.
4. Department of Health and Social Care. Care and support statutory guidance. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance
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 whether a home must be sold to pay for care in England. It explains that property is only relevant to means tested local authority support, describes the main circumstances in which a property is disregarded, outlines the twelve week disregard and deferred payment agreements, and explains why NHS Continuing Healthcare eligibility removes the question entirely.
Do you have to sell your home to pay for care
It is the question families ask before almost any other. The answer depends on which funding route applies, because property is only ever relevant to means tested local authority support. Where NHS Continuing Healthcare applies, the question does not arise at all.
Why the funding route decides it
Local authority social care is means tested, so capital including property can be taken into account. NHS Continuing Healthcare is not means tested in any respect, so income, savings and property are irrelevant to both eligibility and the funded package. Establishing which route applies is therefore the first step, and it is why an eligibility assessment matters financially as well as clinically.
When property is counted
In a local authority financial assessment, a property the person owns may be treated as capital where they have moved permanently into a care home. It is not counted where the person is receiving care in their own home. That distinction alone resolves a great many worries, since care at home does not put the property into the assessment.
The main property disregards
A property must be disregarded where certain people continue to live there, including a spouse or partner, a relative aged over 60, a relative who is incapacitated, or a child of the person under 16. There is also discretion to disregard a property in other circumstances, for example where a carer has lived there. These are significant protections and they are not always explained at the outset.
The twelve week disregard
Where someone moves permanently into a care home and their property becomes counted as capital, the value of the property must be disregarded for the first twelve weeks of the permanent placement. This is intended to give time to make decisions rather than force an immediate sale, and it applies automatically where the conditions are met rather than on request.
Deferred payment agreements
A local authority may offer a deferred payment agreement, under which the authority pays care costs and recovers them later from the property, usually on sale or from the estate. It is a loan arrangement secured on the property and typically carries interest and fees. It can avoid a forced sale, and because it has long term financial consequences it warrants proper independent financial advice.
Where CHC changes everything
If the person is eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, the NHS meets the full cost of the placement, including accommodation. There is no financial assessment, no capital threshold and no charge against the property. This is why families facing a property question should establish the eligibility position first rather than proceeding on the assumption that the local authority route is the only one available.
Getting the order right
The common and costly sequence is to arrange private funding, sell or commit the property, and only later ask about NHS Continuing Healthcare. The better sequence is to request a Checklist as early as possible, so that the eligibility question is at least being considered while decisions about the property are still open.
Where to get advice
Charging rules, capital limits and disregards are set out in regulations and statutory guidance and the figures change, so check the current position on GOV.UK or with the local authority. For decisions about property, deferred payments or how to fund care, take independent financial advice from someone regulated to give it. This guide explains the framework rather than advising on any individual situation.
Key takeaway
Property is only relevant to means tested local authority support, is not counted while care is at home, and is protected by several disregards. NHS Continuing Healthcare removes the question altogether, so establish the eligibility position before making irreversible decisions about a property.
Frequently asked questions
Is the house counted if care is at home?
No. A property the person lives in is not treated as capital while they are receiving care in their own home. The question generally arises only on a permanent move into a care home.
What if a spouse still lives there?
The property must be disregarded where a spouse or partner continues to live there, and also where certain relatives do, including a relative over 60 or an incapacitated relative. There is discretion to disregard in other circumstances too.
Does CHC eligibility protect the property?
Yes, entirely. NHS Continuing Healthcare is not means tested, so there is no financial assessment and no charge against the property. The NHS meets the full cost of the placement including accommodation.
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.