Attendance Allowance and Care Homes: The Complete Guide
Understanding the relationship between attendance allowance and care homes is essential for families making care decisions. The rules can significantly affect both eligibility and finances.
Key Rule: Who Is Funding the Care?
The fundamental question when assessing attendance allowance and care homes is: who is paying?
- Private/self-funding: Attendance Allowance continues
- Council-funded: Attendance Allowance stops after 28 days
- NHS Continuing Healthcare: Attendance Allowance stops after 28 days
The 28-Day Countdown
For funded residents, attendance allowance and care homes have a strict interaction. The benefit pauses on day 29. Days in different care homes are added together if there are gaps of less than 28 days between stays.
Preserving Your Entitlement
If your funding situation changes - for example, if council funding ends and you become self-funded - you can apply to restart your attendance allowance. Our advisers handle these applications regularly.
Practical Financial Planning
For self-funding families, maximising benefits like attendance allowance can help extend the period before savings are depleted. The benefit is tax-free and does not affect most other income.
Get Expert Help Today
Our team at Attendance Allowance Help works with families in care home situations every day. We offer a free assessment and handle the entire application on your behalf. No win, no fee.