Council funding - Personal Health Budgets
If you are supporting an older parent or relative, trying to understand what help they can access and dealing with their local council for home care funding can feel overwhelming. The system is full of unfamiliar terms, assessments, and funding routes depending on where someone lives, and because of this many people assume that their only option for support is a traditional care agency arranged by the local authority.
In reality, when it comes to care, there is far more flexibility than most families realise. Council funding, particularly when using a Personal Health Budget, can give you genuine choice and control over who provides care and how it is delivered.
This guide explains the basics of council-funded elderly care in England, what support you may be entitled to, and how to use funding creatively to get support that actually fits your loved one’s life.
What types of support do councils with funding?
Local councils in England have a legal duty under the Care Act 2014 to assess adults who may need care and support. This applies whether your relative lives at home, with family, or alone.
Council funding for care at home can contribute towards helping with daily living, including:
- Personal care, such as helping someone get washed and dressed
- Meal preparation and support with hydration
- Help with medication
- Support with mobility and getting out of the house
- Companionship and well-being
- Practical help at home
Remember support is not just about medical needs. Councils must consider wellbeing, independence, dignity, and social connection.
The care needs assessment is the first step
To access council funding, your relative needs a care needs assessment carried out by their local council adult social care team. Anyone can request this, including you as a family member.
You can find your local council and request an assessment here.
The assessment looks at how your loved one manages everyday tasks and whether unmet needs are affecting their wellbeing. Importantly, it is not means-tested. Financial assessment only happens after care needs are confirmed.
The financial assessment: how much will the council pay for home care?
Once your relative’s eligible needs have been identified, the council will conduct a financial assessment on them. This looks at income and savings to determine how much your relative should contribute.
As a rough guide in England:
- Savings below £14,250 are fully disregarded
- Savings between £14,250 and £23,250 are partially counted
- Savings above £23,250 usually mean the person pays for their own care
A big caveat here is that even if you have savings above the £23,250 level, an assessment is still valuable because it can unlock advice, support planning, and in some cases, preventative services.
The amounts that councils pay are fairly guarded but a recent survey from the government estimated the amount to be £25.05 an hour.
What is a Personal Health Budget and why it matters
A Personal Health Budget is one of the most powerful and least understood ways to access flexible care. It is NHS funding, not council funding, for people with ongoing health needs.
Personal Health Budgets can be used alongside council funding and are especially relevant where needs are driven by health conditions rather than purely social care.
They are particularly common for people with:
- Long-term health conditions
- Dementia or cognitive impairment
- Complex needs
- Continuing healthcare needs
You can read more directly from NHS England here.
How Personal Health Budgets give you real choice
The key difference with a Personal Health Budget is control. Instead of being told which agency will provide care, you can decide how the money is spent, as long as it meets agreed outcomes.
This means you can:
- Choose who comes into your loved one’s home
- Arrange care at times that suit their routine
- Focus on companionship and wellbeing, not just tasks
- Avoid rushed visits and rotating carers
Crucially, you are not limited to large, traditional care agencies. Funding can often be used to access smaller, local providers or independent carers who offer more personalised support.
This flexibility is what allows families to move away from one-size-fits-no-one care.
Using council funding creatively, beyond basic care
Many families are not told that council funding and Personal Health Budgets can be used in more creative ways.
Care plans can include support that maintains independence and quality of life, not just personal care.
Examples we’ve helped with include:
- Regular companionship visits to reduce loneliness
- Help getting to hospital appointments, clubs, or social activities
- Support with cooking meals together rather than being fed
- Light household help that keeps the home safe and comfortable
- Support in the community for people who are vulnerable
The key is focusing on outcomes. If the support helps your loved one stay well, safe, and independent, it is often allowable. You just need to ask.
How to apply for a Personal Health Budget
Personal Health Budgets are arranged through the NHS, usually via your local Integrated Care Board. The process typically starts with a conversation with your GP, district nurse, or social worker.
You can also find your local NHS services here.
It helps to be clear about what is not working with current support and what outcomes you want to achieve. Families who ask informed questions often secure far more flexible arrangements.
Getting support without losing control
Many people worry that accepting council funding means giving up choice and accepting whatever they can get, but this need not be the case.
At Gladys, we regularly support families who use council funding or Personal Health Budgets to arrange personalised help at home, choosing carers and helpers who fit their parents’ personality, routine, and needs - all with the continuity that a legacy agency cannot offer.
Closing thoughts
The system to access personal health budgets can be confusing, but with the right information, funding can be used to support your family’s real-life needs, rather than just being shoved into the mechanisms of local authority care and being lucky if someone turns up for 15 minutes at all.
