How Northern Ireland’s care funding compares to England, Scotland and Wales — the numbers you should know
When it comes to planning for what can become one of the largest costs in later life, one of the common beliefs is: “Surely it’s the same everywhere in the UK?”
No, it isn’t. Not even close.
Care funding in the UK is devolved. That means Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales each have their own rules. If you live in Northern Ireland, the comparison is uncomfortable reading.
The means-test threshold
In Northern Ireland, if you have capital above £23,250, you are usually treated as able to meet the full cost of your residential or nursing home care.
Capital can include savings, investments and, in many cases, the value of your home.
That £23,250 threshold has been frozen since 2010. Over that period, house prices, care fees and the general cost of living have all moved on. The threshold has not.
England currently has the same upper capital limit: £23,250.
But England had previously planned to introduce a lifetime cap of £86,000 on eligible personal care costs. That reform was cancelled in 2024. England now has the Casey Commission reviewing adult social care, including how care should be organised, funded and made more consistent. There are now indications that the newly appointed Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, may seek to accelerate the Commission’s timetable.
Northern Ireland has published a 10-year adult social care reform plan, but it has not committed to an England-style lifetime care cap or an equivalent funding settlement for self-funders.
In Scotland, people assessed as needing personal care can receive free personal care, regardless of their assets. That can cover help with daily tasks such as washing, dressing and personal support. However, in a care home, accommodation and living costs can still be means-tested.
In Wales, the maximum weekly charge for care at home is capped at £100. Wales also has a much higher capital threshold for residential care: £50,000, compared with £23,250 in Northern Ireland.
What this means in practice
Someone in Northern Ireland moving into a care home can face fees running into many hundreds of pounds per week, and in some cases over £1,000 per week.
With capital above the threshold, they are usually treated as self-funding.
That means fees may need to be met from:
- pension income;
- savings;
- investments;
- and, where the home is counted, housing wealth.
For a couple who planned carefully, the family home may represent much of their lifetime wealth. If care fees continue for several years, that wealth can be eroded far faster than families expect.
A starting point
I have created two free resources specifically for those trying to navigate care funding in Northern Ireland.
The Complete Guide walks you through your situation step by step:
- the care setting;
- the assets involved;
- who lives in the property;
- and the funding routes most likely to be relevant.
The Decision Tool takes self-funders through a structured journey to help them understand their options.
They do not give regulated advice or model your full financial position.
The purpose is simpler: to help you understand the system, identify the pressure points, and ask better questions before decisions become urgent.
www.carefundingni.co.uk
Please note that this link takes you to an external website.
If the numbers concern you, the next step is a conversation. Professional advice may help families understand the financial implications of future care costs. There is usually more that can be done than people realise, but timing matters.
Barra Gorman FPFS
Chartered Financial Planner
Sources and Further Reading
GOV.UK – Social Care Charging for Care and Support 2026 to 2027
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-care-charging-for-local-authorities-2026-to-2027/social-care-charging-for-care-and-support-2026-to-2027-local-authority-circular
Casey Commission – Terms of Reference
https://caseycommission.co.uk/about/terms-of-reference/
Care Information Scotland – Capital Limits for Care Home Fees
https://www.careinfoscotland.scot/topics/care-homes/paying-care-home-fees/capital-limits
Alzheimer’s Society – Care Assessment Process in Wales
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/legal-financial/care-assessment-process-wales
This article is for information only and does not constitute financial, legal or care funding advice. Professional advice may help families understand the financial implications of the topics discussed.