Do I have to sell my home to pay for care?
How much you'll need to pay for care will be worked out through a financial assessment. Whether or not your home is...
'Deprivation of assets' is when someone reduces their assets (such as money, property or income) on purpose so that they won’t be included in the financial assessment for care home fees. If your local council decides you've reduced your assets to avoid paying care home fees, they might still calculate your fees as if you still owned the assets.
If your local council assesses you and decides you qualify for social care, such as getting extra help at home or moving into a care home, they'll do a financial assessment (also known as a means test) to calculate how much you should pay towards the fees.
Your income and savings will be taken into account in the financial assessment. If you need to move into residential care, your property could be taken into account.
Some people consider giving away their home or money to relatives, friends or charities, so that they won’t be taken into account in the financial assessment. But, the council might decide this is a deliberate deprivation of assets.
Find out how the financial assessment takes into account the value of your home
When your council is deciding whether getting rid of property and money has been a deliberate deprivation of assets, they will consider a few things:
It’s not just giving away your money that could be seen as a deliberate deprivation of assets. Different ways of reducing your money or property could count too, including:
If the local council thinks that you have deliberately reduced your assets to avoid care fees, they may still include the value of the assets you no longer have when they do the financial assessment.
The timing is important. The council will look at when you reduced your assets and see if, at the time, you could reasonably expect that you would need care and support. They then have to decide based on all the case facts and clear reasons, which could be challenged.
If you were fit and healthy, and couldn't have imagined needing care and support at the time, then it might not count as deprivation of assets.
If you disagree with your council's decision about deprivation of assets, you can challenge it using the formal complaints procedure.
Remind the local council that they have to show that you were:
The local council has to base its decision on facts and let you submit relevant evidence to support your account. Be as clear and specific as you can when you're explaining why you may have given away your assets.
If you're not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can take your complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Find out more about making a complaint on the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman website
We offer support through our free advice line on 0800 678 1602. Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year. We also have specialist advisers at over 120 local Age UKs.
How much you'll need to pay for care will be worked out through a financial assessment. Whether or not your home is...
Care home fees will vary depending on the area, the care home and your own financial circumstances.
If your choice of care home accommodation costs more than your local council is willing to pay, someone else can make...
Learn about what financial support you might get from your local council.
You might be entitled to help with the cost of homecare from your local council.
If you’re not happy with your or a friend or relative’s care home, there are steps you can take. Want more...