Moving into a care home can change benefits, and whether the person or the council pays the fees makes a big difference.
At a glance
| Benefit | If paying their own fees | If the council helps with fees |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance Allowance | Continues | Stops after 28 days |
| PIP daily living | Continues | Stops after 28 days |
| PIP mobility | Continues | Continues |
| State Pension | Continues | Continues (counted as income) |
| Pension Credit | May continue, may change | Usually continues; counted as income |
Attendance Allowance
Self-funders keep Attendance Allowance, and many people who move into a care home should claim it if they have not already. Check eligibility. During the 12-week property disregard, the council helps with fees, so it may stop; it can restart if the person later pays in full.
Carer’s Allowance
If the person cared for stops getting Attendance Allowance or PIP daily living, the carer’s Carer’s Allowance stops too. Tell the Carer’s Allowance Unit about the move.
Tell the right people
Tell the Department for Work and Pensions and the council about the move, to avoid overpayments.
See more in our benefits and 2026/27 rates guide, the Attendance Allowance guide and the Carer’s Allowance guide.
Common questions
Which benefits can I keep after moving into a care home?
Self-funders keep Attendance Allowance, PIP and DLA, plus State Pension and pensions. If the council funds the place, AA, PIP daily living and DLA care stop after 28 days, though PIP mobility continues. State Pension and Pension Credit carry on, but most income goes towards fees, leaving at least the personal expenses allowance of £31.80 a week.
Source: Age UK
More questions
- What happens to Pension Credit when someone moves into a care home?
- Does respite care affect benefits for the person being cared for?
- Are disability benefits stopped when someone goes into a council-funded care home?
- Do I keep Attendance Allowance if I get NHS continuing healthcare?
- Can you get Attendance Allowance in a care home?
- Do care home residents get the Winter Fuel Payment?
Find care homes near you
- Care homes in Worthing 67
- Care homes in Bournemouth 62
- Care homes in Kingston upon Hull 60
- Care homes in Eastbourne 57
- Care homes in Wolverhampton 50
- Care homes in Hillingdon 48
- Care homes in Waltham Forest 46
- Care homes in Enfield 82
All care homes in England by town → · Search by postcode
Highly rated care homes in England
- Church View Outstanding · Liverpool
- Cooksons Court Outstanding · Yeovil
- Beechmore Court Outstanding · Bromley
- Carlton House Outstanding · Leeds
Rated by CQC in the last three years. Nobody pays to appear here.
Care homes by county
- Southend-on-Sea
- North Tyneside
- Cheshire East
- Salford
- Bracknell Forest
- Portsmouth
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Swindon
- Staffordshire
- Doncaster
- Wakefield
- Rutland
Paying for care by council
- Paying for care in Staffordshire
- Paying for care in Sheffield
- Paying for care in Norfolk
- Paying for care in Harrow
- Paying for care in County Durham
- Paying for care in Halton
- Paying for care in Buckinghamshire
- Paying for care in Bristol, City of
Related guides
Free download
The care home visit checklist (40 points)
Forty questions on staffing, daily life, rooms, fees and the contract, laid out so you can compare three homes.
Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 21 October 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.