Paying for care in your own home

Check if you’ll pay for home care 

Before your financial assessment, use our quick tool to get an idea of whether you’ll need to contribute toward your care costs:

• check if you’ll pay for home care

Will you be charged for home care?

After your needs assessment confirms that you require care in your own home, we’ll assess your finances to determine how much, if anything, you need to contribute toward the cost.

If you’ve had a recent financial assessment, we may already have the information needed. If not, our financial assessment team will contact you or your representative to complete the process.

Providing financial information

You’ll be asked to provide documents such as:

• bank statements (for all accounts, including overdrawn ones)
• pension award letters or proof of income
• details of regular expenses (if applicable) 

Email scanned documents to: financialassessment@lewisham.gov.uk or post to Financial Assessment Team, 4th Floor, Laurence House, Catford, SE6 4RU.

Ensure correct postage if sending by post to avoid delays

How your contribution is calculated

Your charge is based on:

• your income
• your disability-related expenses (DRE)
• your income support or pension credit buffer
• your savings and capital

If you have over £23,250 in capital, you must pay the full cost of your care and a brokerage fee for arranging the service.

If you have less than £23,250, we use this calculation:

• (income - buffer - disability-related expenditure) = net disposable income

You are charged 100% of your net disposable income.

What the terms mean

• income: includes state pensions and most benefits (excludes DLA/PIP mobility components)
• buffer: a protected amount of your income, based on your age and disability
• disability-related expenditure (DRE): costs related to your disability that aren’t covered in your care plan

2025/26 buffer examples

What counts as disability-related expenditure (DRE)?

To be considered, costs must:

• be clearly related to your disability
• be above normal living expenses
• be supported by receipts or evidence
• not already covered by your support plan

Examples

• higher fuel bills (12 months’ bills required)
• equipment (eg, stairlifts, wheelchairs)
• incontinence supplies
• additional cleaning or laundry materials
• metered water use due to extra washing
• domestic help not included in support plan
• specialist communication equipment
• extra household costs due to a live-in carer

If you don’t want a financial assessment

You are not required to provide financial details. However, if you decline a financial assessment:

• you will be charged the full cost of your care
• you can request an assessment later if your circumstances change

Disagree with your assessment?

You will receive a full breakdown of how your contribution was calculated.

If you believe there’s an error:

• contact the financial assessment team to request a review

if still unresolved, you can make a formal appeal - email: financialassessment@lewisham.gov.uk.

Please continue to pay any charges while your review is underway. If your charge is reduced, you will receive a refund.

Breaks in care or changes in your finances

Tell us as soon as possible if:

• your income or savings change
• your care stops temporarily (eg, Hospital stay)
• someone moves in or out of your home

This may affect your charge.

Call: 020 8314 8454 or email: financialassessment@lewisham.gov.uk.

You’ll also be contacted for a yearly review of your financial information.

Support and advice

If you're struggling with debt or want help managing your money, contact:

• Advice Lewisham - 0800 231 5453
• Citizens Advice - 0800 144 8848
• MoneyHelper
• Age UK - 0800 169 6565