If you have more than £23,250 in savings or other capital, you will pay the full cost of your care. This includes your share of any jointly held money. If the council arranges care services for you, you will pay the full cost of those services.
If you have more than £23,250, you can ask the council to arrange non-residential care and support services for you. There is a one-off arrangement fee of £90 (2025/2026). This covers the cost of arranging care, as set out in section 14 of the Care Act 2014.
Contributing to the cost of your care
If you have savings between £14,250 and £23,250, you will pay a contribution towards the cost of your care. This is known as a tariff income contribution. This is £1 for every £250 (or part of £250) you have over £14,250.
Example of a tariff income contribution
If you have £15,000 in savings:
- the first £14,250 is ignored
- £750 is left
- there are three lots of £250 in £750
- your tariff contribution will be £3 per week
This amount is added to your weekly income when we work out your financial assessment.
When charges start
If the council arranges care services for you, charges start from the day your care begins. Your first invoice may take up to 12 weeks to arrive. It will include backdated charges from the start of your care.
It is a good idea to set aside money for this first bill.