Care home fees in Wales are means-tested more generously than anywhere else in the UK. Wales protects up to £50,000 of your savings, more than double the limit in England, and caps what you pay for care at home.
Here are four facts every family should know before paying for care and support in Wales. For the rules in England, see our guide to selling your house to pay for care.
1. Paying for Care in Wales: The £50,000 Limit
Wales uses a single capital limit of £50,000 for residential care. There is no lower limit and no sliding scale:
- Above £50,000: you may have to pay the full cost of your care
- £50,000 or below: your capital is ignored and you pay from your income only
That protects a lot more of your money. Someone with £60,000 of savings in England would pay for their care until their savings fell to £23,250. In Wales, help starts at £50,000, so they would keep £26,750 more. See the Welsh Government’s guidance on charging for social care.
2. How Care Home Charges Are Worked Out
If your capital is £50,000 or below, the council works out what you pay from your income, such as your State Pension, private pensions and most benefits.
You always keep a Minimum Income Amount of £46.35 a week for personal spending, compared with £31.80 in England. If you are still paying for housing, such as rent or a mortgage, mention it at your financial assessment.
If you need nursing care in a nursing home, the NHS pays the nursing part of your fees, whatever your savings.
3. Paying for a Care Home Without Selling Your House
The value of your home is ignored for the first 12 weeks of a permanent stay, and for as long as a partner or certain relatives still live there.
After that, you can ask for a deferred payment agreement. The council pays your care home fees in Wales, and the money is recovered when the house is eventually sold. Interest is capped at a national maximum rate, so ask for the current rate and any fees in writing.
Giving your home away to avoid care fees can be treated as deprivation of assets, so always get legal advice first.
4. Do You Pay for Housing Support Services or Home Care?
If you get care and support at home, the value of your home is never counted. Savings over £24,000 can be taken into account, but charges are capped at £100 a week, however much care you receive.
Housing support services, such as help to manage a tenancy, are arranged separately, so ask your council whether these are charged for where you live.
Financial Help: Care Home Fees in Wales FAQs
How much savings can I keep if I go into care in Wales
Up to £50,000. Capital at or below that limit is ignored, although you will usually still pay a contribution from your income, such as your pensions.
How to avoid care home fees in Wales?
Giving your home or savings away can be treated as deprivation of assets. Instead, check whether your home is ignored because a partner or relative lives there, and ask about NHS Continuing Healthcare, which is not means-tested.
How much money can I have before I have to pay care home fees?
For care home fees in Wales, up to £50,000.
Care home fees in Wales can be complicated, so get free, independent advice from Age Cymru before making any decisions about the house.
Disclaimer: General information only, not financial or legal advice. Figures are for 2026/27.
