Paying for and arranging your own care

In this section:

Adult social care services are not free for everyone. Most people will have to pay something towards the cost of their care, with some people having to pay the full cost.

To help you to plan your care, if you have savings and assets of less than £23,250 we'll carry out a financial assessment with you.

If you have savings and assets of more than £23,250 or choose not to disclose your financial information, you will have to pay the full costs of your care. This means you are known as a self-funder. 

This page explains more about being a self-funder, the support available and what to do if your financial situation changes.

Continuing Health Care

Receiving care when it is needed is an important part of supporting your independence and maintaining your wellbeing and confidence. It can also prevent or delay future care needs arising, despite any costs associated with this.

Some people with long-term complex health needs qualify for free health and social care arranged and funded solely by the NHS. This is known as Continuing Health Care (CHC). 

You can contact Adult Social Care:

You can also contact our Community Advice Hubs. These are based in Solihull and Chelmsley Wood libraries and are a point of contact for information, advice and support for residents of all ages, and their carers:

You can:

  • arrange and pay for care yourself without involving the Council
  • you can seek advice from Adult Social Care, other organisations (see below) or the Care Quality Commission
  • ask Adult Social Care to arrange and pay for your care at home (we can then invoice you, and an arrangement fee may apply)

Even if you pay the full cost of your care (or are likely to need to pay), we can carry out a Care Act assessment to look at what care and support you might need. For example, the assessment will help you to: 

  • explore what you can do
  • understand what support you already have
  • learn what support you may benefit from
  • find out what support may be available in your local community.

The needs assessment is free and anyone can ask for one. Even if you're intending to make arrangements yourself with a care agency or private carer, it's still a good idea to have an assessment as it will help you to explain to the agency or carer what kind of support you would need.

You can complete an online self-assessment for more information, or contact us:

Use our online contribution calculator for a confidential indication of what you might pay towards the costs of your care.

A typical hourly rate for a carer to come to your home is around £25 in Solihull (correct as of October 2024).

You can read more about care at home (also known as home care or domiciliary care) on this page.

Care home costs can vary, but weekly costs start from £745 (correct as of October 2024). The price will vary according to where you live and the type of care you need. For example, health conditions including dementia can increase the cost.

There are two types of care home:

  • residential homes that provide accommodation and personal care, such as help with; washing, dressing, taking medication and going to the toilet- some care homes also offer activities such as day trips
  • nursing homes that also provide personal care, but there will always be one or more qualified nurses on duty to provide nursing care. Nursing homes cost more than residential homes

We can help you choose a care home that's right for you.

There's also sheltered housing and extra care housing available in Solihull. Costs for these vary and you would need to contact individual accommodation providers for more information.

You may be eligible for benefits, for example, Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which aren't means-tested.

You can use them to pay towards the cost of your care.

If your savings fall below £23,250, we might be able to help with the cost of care.

You should contact us about three months before you think your savings will drop to below £23,250 and ask us to assess or reassess your care needs and your finances.

If the amount you have been paying for your care exceeds the amount we can reasonably pay, then a top-up fee may be required if you wish to remain in the care home of your choice.

If you are buying care at home that exceeds the amount the council can reasonably pay, you may need to change care agencies. Your individual circumstances will be assessed at the time. You may also want to consider a direct payment.

We are only able to provide funding from the date you contact us. You won't be reimbursed if your savings are less than £23,250 before you contact us.

We won’t count your home within your assessment if you:

  • receive care and support at home
  • go into a care home on a short-term or temporary basis

If you plan to move into a care home permanently, we won’t count your home if it's still occupied by:

  • your partner or former partner, unless they are estranged from you
  • your estranged or divorced partner if they are also a lone parent
  • a relative who is aged 60 or over
  • a relative who is disabled
  • a child of yours aged under 18

If your property is going to be included in the permanent care home means test, we must ignore it for the first 12 weeks of your care unless you have already self-funded your placement for more than 12 weeks. This is to give you space to decide what to do with your property and paying fees, for example whether to enter into a deferred payment agreement.  

A deferred payment scheme can be useful if you have savings of less than £23,250 and all your money is tied up in your property.

Under this scheme Solihull Council pays for your care home fees and it is repaid later when you choose to sell your home, or after your death.

Some people consider giving their property to someone else, such as a child or relative, so that it won’t be counted in the means test. However, this may count as deprivation of assets, meaning you’d still have to pay the same level of care fees as if you still owned your home.

You can get unbiased expert advice from a specialist care fees adviser. They will help you compare all your options before you decide what's right for you.

Find a specialist care fees adviser in your area with:

Telephone help

You might be able to get some help regardless of your income or if you're paying for your care. You will find more information on our website about:

If you are caring for someone who is self-funding their care, you are still entitled to an assessment of your own needs and may be entitled to funding for support in your own right.

Read more about support for carers.