# CHC Assessment Statistics: What NHS Figures Mean | Nellie Supports Source: https://www.nelliesupports.com/post/chc-eligibility-has-halved-since-2017-what-the-latest-nhs-data-means-for-families-and-professionals Canonical: https://www.nelliesupports.com/post/chc-eligibility-has-halved-since-2017-what-the-latest-nhs-data-means-for-families-and-professionals Published: 2026-08-04T13:00:46Z Updated: 2026-08-04T13:00:46Z # CHC Assessment Figures: What NHS Data Means for Families and Professionals An editorial update to the figures discussed here: NHS England reported a 19% Standard CHC assessment conversion rate for October to December 2025. That population statistic does not predict an individual’s eligibility. - [All Posts](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog) - [Mental Capacity](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/mental-capacity) - [Social Care](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/social-care) - [Nellie+ Conference](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/nellie-conference) - [Appeals](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/appeals) - [Life Expectancy Reports](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/life-expectancy-reports) - [Court of protection](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/court-of-protection) - [EHCP](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/ehcp) - [CHC](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/chc) - [Nellie Supports](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/nellie-supports) - [The Nellie Standard](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/the-nellie-standard) Editorial update, 18 October 2026: this article discusses NHS England’s Q3 2025/26 statistics, covering October to December 2025. The published Standard CHC assessment conversion rate was 19%, rather than the 17% previously stated. These figures do not establish that eligibility has halved or predict an individual’s chance of funding. ### The Numbers Behind the Headlines In England, NHS Continuing Healthcare is a package arranged and funded solely by the NHS for adults assessed as having a primary health need. It is not means-tested. The Q3 2025/26 report provides information about assessment activity, eligibility and delays, but those measures need to be distinguished before drawing conclusions. For Q3 2025/26, NHS England reported 2,485 people eligible through the Standard route out of 13,118 assessed: a rounded assessment conversion rate of 19%. The separate Standard referral conversion rate was 15%, using completed referrals as its denominator. Fast Track is a different route. Neither measure is the proportion of the population receiving CHC, nor an individual applicant’s probability of success. A historical comparison needs the same measure, route and period, together with the report’s comparability warnings. The previously stated 2017 comparison and local percentage range have therefore been withdrawn pending a reproducible analysis. ## What Is NHS Continuing Healthcare? CHC is NHS-funded care for adults aged 18 or over in England who have been assessed as having a primary health need. It can be provided in different settings and meets the person’s assessed health and associated social care needs. It is separate from means-tested local authority care funding and from NHS-funded nursing care. The Standard route often begins with Checklist screening, followed, where indicated, by a multidisciplinary assessment using the Decision Support Tool (DST). The DST records needs across 12 care domains and supports professional judgement; it is not a points-based award. Some people proceed directly to full assessment, and Fast Track has a separate process. A person does not need a specific diagnosis to qualify. The question is whether the nature, intensity, complexity, or unpredictability of their health needs means the NHS, not the local authority or themselves, should be responsible for funding their care. ### What can explain differences in the figures? The published data can identify questions for further investigation. It cannot, by itself, establish why a particular person was refused or prove that an ICB applied the Framework incorrectly: - Population and service differences: NHS England cautions that age profiles, levels of need and the availability of local services can affect comparisons between areas. - Consistent decision-making remains important: all ICBs must apply the National Framework. Where a decision appears inconsistent with the evidence, examine its written reasoning and the assessment records rather than inferring the error from an area’s rate alone. - Different populations reach different stages: screening, completed referrals, full assessments and Fast Track describe different groups. Their percentages should not be treated as interchangeable. - Historical comparisons require care: NHS England warns that coronavirus-related changes and changes to organisational structures can affect comparability. Reporting and data quality issues also need to be considered. ### A CHC Eligibility Refusal Is Not the End of the Process If you or someone you support has been refused CHC funding, or if you have never been offered a full assessment despite significant health needs, the decision can be challenged. Keep the decision letter and check the current instructions for the relevant review stage. A deadline for requesting review may differ from the deadline for returning an application form or evidence. The main routes are: - Checklist screening: a positive Checklist normally leads to full assessment, rather than an award of funding. If screening is negative, ask for the reasons and how to request reconsideration. - Decision Support Tool (DST) assessment: examine whether the recorded levels, interactions between needs and primary health need analysis reflect the evidence. The DST supports the recommendation; it is not a simple score total. - Local resolution with the ICB: The first stage of challenge, where additional evidence can be submitted and the original decision reviewed. - NHS England independent review: after the ICB’s local resolution process, an independent review may be requested. Check NHS England’s current process and the decision letter for the applicable requirements. - Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). Where the process itself has been administered incorrectly, a referral to the Ombudsman may be appropriate. At any of these stages, the quality of the evidence base is critical. A CHC appeal is not simply a complaint, it is a structured process in which clinical and care evidence is weighed against the criteria set out in the National Framework. Families can seek clarification from the ICB and use free information or independent advice when deciding whether to challenge. An experienced social worker or other appropriate practitioner may help organise records and explain needs, but paid representation is not a condition of assessment or review and cannot determine the NHS decision. ### Options for commissioned support Nellie Supports provides commissioned CHC assessment and review support in England for families, solicitors, professional deputies and case managers. Wales has a separate Continuing NHS Healthcare framework and health-board process. Nellie’s published new-client pathway begins with an Independent Social Care Needs Assessment and Care Plan (https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-needs-assessment). This is a paid service requirement, not a requirement for access to NHS assessment. Before instruction, check its purpose, complete cost and whether existing evidence can be used. The services below describe different stages: Case Review and Merits Assessment: [https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-case-review-merits](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-case-review-merits)[)](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-case-review-merits) for new clients coming to us after a refusal, to assess the grounds for challenge before committing to an appeal. Checklist Screening Support: [https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-checklist-screening](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-checklist-screening)[)](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-checklist-screening) preparation and challenge support at the initial screening stage. CHC Assessment Support: [https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-assessment-support](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-dst-attendance-representation)[)](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-dst-attendance-representation) preparation and representation for the Decision Support Tool multidisciplinary assessment. CHC Appeal Application: [https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-appeal-application](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-appeal-application)[)](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-appeal-application) - we draft and submit the appeal application on your behalf. CHC Appeal Support and Local Resolution: https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-appeals) - advocacy through the ICB local resolution process. Independent Review Panel: [https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-independent-review-panel](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-independent-review-panel)[)](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-independent-review-panel) - application and representation at the Independent Review Panel. Fast Track Review Advocacy: https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-fast-track) - support concerning the separate route for a rapidly deteriorating condition that may be entering a terminal phase. An appropriate clinician completes the Fast Track tool; no fixed remaining-life threshold applies. Retrospective CHC Claims: [https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-retrospective-and-pupoc](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/retrospective-chc-funding-appeal)[)](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/retrospective-chc-funding-appeal) - support examining eligibility during a specified past period. The records, applicable criteria and authority to act matter; paying care fees does not itself establish entitlement to reimbursement. Confirm the scope and total fee before instruction. Mediation: [https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-mediation](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-mediation)[)](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-mediation) and Ombudsman referrals: [https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-ombudsman-referral](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-ombudsman-referral)[)](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-ombudsman-referral) where appropriate. Check the current service page and written quotation for the complete fee, VAT, any initial assessment, and the work included. Also confirm exclusions, additional charges and timescales before instructing a provider. Call: 0333 987 5118 Email: [nellie@nelliesupports.com](mailto:nellie@nelliesupports.com) Learn more: [https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare) Nellie Supports provides social work assessment, evidence and advocacy support. Read the current terms to understand the charging model, scope and any limits on the work before deciding whether to instruct. Source: NHS England, NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care Report, Q3 2025/26, published 12 February 2026; sections 3.1.3, 4.1.3 and 5: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/CHC-and-FNC-Report-Q3-2025-26-TQ68n.pdf *This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Individual circumstances vary. If you require advice specific to your situation, please contact us directly. Nellie Supports provides independent social work assessment, evidence and advocacy support across England. Wales operates its own Continuing NHS Healthcare framework through health boards.* Tags: - [continuing health care](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/tags/continuing-health-care) - [Care Assessment](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/tags/care-assessment) - [CHC](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/tags/chc) - [care funding advice](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/tags/care-funding-advice) - [Care Review](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/tags/care-review) - [Care Act 2014](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/tags/care-act-2014) - [CHC](https://www.nelliesupports.com/blog/categories/chc) ## Recent Posts ## Comments ## Primary sources and official guidance [National framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare (England)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-framework-for-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care) [Official NHS Continuing Healthcare Decision Support Tool](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-continuing-healthcare-decision-support-tool) ## Related information - [Mental Capacity Assessment to Revoke a Lasting Power of Attorney](https://www.nelliesupports.com/lasting-power-of-attorney-services/revoke-lpa) - [NHS Continuing Healthcare Support](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare) - [CHC Appeal Application: Drafting and Submission](https://www.nelliesupports.com/services/continuing-healthcare/chc-appeal-application) --- Nellie Supports Ltd · 0333 987 5118 · nellie@nelliesupports.com Office 11 and 12, Unit 20, Springfield Business Park, Grantham, NG31 7FZ