What long term care actually costs today
Care fees in the UK vary widely by region, care level and provider, but the national averages give a useful starting point. As of 2025/26, self-funded residential care costs around £1,300 per week (roughly £67,600 a year). Nursing care averages around £1,512 per week (£78,600 a year). Specialist dementia nursing care typically pushes those figures higher again — often over £81,000 a year. (Source: carehome.co.uk / LaingBuisson care fee data, 2025/26.)
These are national averages. Fees in Suffolk and East Anglia are generally close to the UK average, though London and the South East cost significantly more. And the trend is upward: self-funder fees rose around 10% between December 2024 and December 2025 as care providers absorbed higher wages, National Insurance and running costs (Source: Caring Britain report, carehome.co.uk, 2026).
Who pays — and who doesn't
In England, whether you self-fund or get local authority support depends on your capital. If your assets (including, in most cases, your home) sit above £23,250, you pay the full cost yourself. Between £14,250 and £23,250, the council contributes to your care from your capital on a sliding scale. Below £14,250, capital is disregarded — though income like pensions still counts.
Note that the government's proposed £86,000 lifetime cap on care costs — originally due to come in in October 2025 — was scrapped in July 2024 (Source: Department of Health and Social Care, July 2024). As things stand today, there is no upper limit to what a self-funder may pay.
The single most useful conversation many families have about long term care is the one that happens before care is actually needed. Planning under time pressure, in the middle of a crisis, usually produces worse outcomes and more anxiety.
What we help clients plan for
Understanding what the state will fund
NHS Continuing Healthcare covers 100% of care costs if you have a primary health need — but eligibility is tightly defined and requires a proper assessment. NHS-funded nursing care (FNC) pays a flat contribution towards nursing home fees for those who need registered nursing care but don't qualify for full CHC. We help families understand what's available and how to apply.
Planning before care is needed
The earlier you plan, the more options you keep. Investment strategy, tax-efficient wrappers, and how the family home is held can all affect what may be available to fund care later — and what may be protected. We work with your solicitor where wills or trusts need updating.
Immediate needs annuities
Where care is imminent, an immediate needs annuity (also called a care fees annuity) can convert a lump sum into a guaranteed income for life, paid directly to the care provider — free of income tax. For self-funders, this can put a ceiling on care fee risk. It's not right for everyone, and the trade-off requires careful modelling.
Funding options that don't require selling the home
Deferred payment agreements, equity release, and drawdown from investment portfolios can all form part of a plan that avoids or delays selling a family home to pay for care.
Working alongside your solicitor
Long term care planning often intersects with wills, trusts and lasting powers of attorney. We work alongside your solicitor to make sure the legal and financial pieces line up. If you don't have a solicitor, we can point you to trusted local firms we've worked with.