About Care Funding Check

Care Funding Check exists because navigating NHS Continuing Healthcare shouldn't require a law degree.

Every year, around 183,000 families in England enter the CHC assessment process. Many are dealing with a loved one who has dementia, has had a stroke, or is living with a serious progressive condition. They're told their family member's needs are ‘social care’ — not health — and that they must pay privately. Care home fees averaging £67,000 a year drain savings and force property sales.

The rules around CHC are genuinely complex. The assessment process spans 12 care domains, applies a ‘primary health need’ test based on four legal characteristics, and is administered by 42 different Integrated Care Boards with wildly different approval rates. Families are expected to navigate this labyrinth at the most stressful time of their lives, often with no guidance beyond a 187-page government framework document.

We built Care Funding Check to fill that gap.

Our free eligibility checker walks you through the 12 care domains in plain English and gives you an honest indicative assessment. Our preparation packs help you gather evidence, prepare for assessments, and challenge decisions. And if your situation requires professional help, we connect you with specialist CHC solicitors.

We are an independent information service. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. Where we refer you to solicitor firms, we receive a referral fee — this is always disclosed on the relevant page. Our editorial content is never influenced by commercial relationships.

We believe the CHC system, however imperfect, exists to protect people with serious health needs from bearing the full cost of their care. Our job is to help families understand and exercise that right.