How social care is paid for

Find out if you might need to pay towards your care, what your options are and paying a care invoice.

If you're thinking about future care costs, you can start planning for what you may need to pay yourself.

Your care costs, or those of someone you look after, may pay towards:

  • care and support while you are living at home
  • care homes
  • supported housing or extra care housing
  • a direct payment so you can arrange your care and support

Will I have to pay for my care?

How much you will need to pay depends on your savings and capital (excluding the value of your home if you are still living in it).

If you have over £23,250 in savings and capital

You will not be eligible for payment from the council towards your care in a care home if your savings and capital are over £23,250. However, you can still ask the council to help you with the cost of your care and support if you are living at home.

This means you or your family would need to pay privately for care in a care home.

We recommend you seek independent financial advice to help you plan to pay privately for care in a care home.

You can make the arrangements for your care independently. If you need help, you can contact adult social care (Customer First).

Adult social care charges

Deferred payment agreements

A deferred payment agreement allows you to use the value of your home to pay for care in a residential or nursing care home or extra care housing.

Find out if you could be eligible to apply for a deferred payment agreement.

If you have under £23,250 in savings and capital

You may be eligible for help towards the cost of your care if your savings and capital (are under £23,250).

You can estimate care costs for yourself or on behalf of someone else with our care cost calculator.

Personal budget

If you're eligible to receive money from the council, you can manage your money and services through a personal budget. This is the money allocated by us to help meet your care and support needs.

You'll be asked to fill out a financial declaration form (AF1) to assess how much you will have to pay towards your personal budget.

You can arrange the money in your personal budget through a direct payment, or to be managed by the council.

If your financial circumstances change, please contact Customer First on 0345 2660072.

If you think you're eligible for money from the council, read about how adult social care works.

Paying for your care (part 1)

This video explains various aspects of paying for care, including what a personal budget is and eligibility criteria along with how a personal budget can be used. 

Paying for your care (part 2)

This video covers information on debt responsibilities, direct payments and deferred payment. It briefly references accommodation (housing and support options).

Paying an invoice to the council

You can pay a Suffolk County Council invoice online or by direct debit.

Pay online

Find out how to pay a Suffolk County Council care invoice online.

Pay by direct debit

You can pay your four-weekly invoices for Home Care by direct debit. It’s a free and easy way to pay and means you don't need to remember to make payments.

You'll still receive an invoice (for information) which will give details of when the payment will be taken from your bank account.

Complete a direct debit mandate (PDF, 118KB) and send to the address on the form.

If you have any queries about paying by direct debit, call us on 01473 265611.