Free personal care and nursing care payments were introduced in 2002.
To qualify for free personal care you must be:
- 18 or over; and
- assessed by us as needing personal care (for example, you have difficulty bathing, dressing, eating or getting to the toilet).
To qualify for free nursing care you must be:
- 18 or over; and
- assessed by us as needing nursing care (for example, you need a qualified nurse to monitor your condition).
We provide:
£248.70 a week for personal care.
£111.90 a week for nursing care.
Payments for free personal and nursing care do not depend on your financial circumstances. We will make them no matter what income and capital you have.
How are payments for free personal care and nursing care paid?
We pay the care home direct on your behalf.
Does anything affect these payments?
If you are admitted to hospital from a care home, we will stop free personal care and nursing care payments after 14 days and you will have to pay the full cost of your care home fees.
If you return to hospital again within 52 weeks, we will stop your free personal-care or nursing care payments immediately.
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