What Is NHS Continuing Healthcare?
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of care that is fully funded by the NHS. It’s free — regardless of how much money or property your parent has. If your parent qualifies, the NHS pays for all their care, whether that’s in a care home or in their own home.
It sounds too good to be true, and in some ways the catch is that eligibility criteria are strict. But it’s absolutely worth pursuing, because for those who qualify, it can save families tens of thousands of pounds per year.
Who Qualifies?
To qualify for CHC, your parent must have what’s called a “primary health need.” This means their main reason for needing care is a health condition, rather than a social care need.
There’s no definitive list of conditions that automatically qualify. Instead, the assessment looks at the nature, intensity, complexity, and unpredictability of your parent’s needs across 12 areas (called “care domains”):
- Breathing
- Nutrition (food and drink)
- Continence
- Skin integrity (pressure sores, wounds)
- Mobility
- Communication
- Psychological and emotional needs
- Cognition (understanding and decision-making)
- Behaviour
- Drug therapies and medication
- Altered states of consciousness
- Other significant care needs
Each domain is rated as no needs, low, moderate, high, severe, or priority. If your parent has at least one domain rated as priority, or severe needs in two or more domains, they’re likely to qualify.
The Assessment Process
- Checklist screening: A healthcare professional (often a nurse or social worker) completes a short checklist. If this indicates potential eligibility, a full assessment is carried out.
- Decision Support Tool (DST): A multidisciplinary team (nurse, social worker, and often the person’s GP or consultant) completes a detailed assessment across the 12 domains.
- Panel decision: The completed DST goes to the local Clinical Commissioning Group (now Integrated Care Board) for a decision.
- Notification: You should receive the decision in writing, with reasons.
The entire process should take no more than 28 days from the checklist to the decision, though in practice it often takes longer.
How to Apply
You can request a CHC assessment at any time. The most common routes are:
- Through the hospital: If your parent is being discharged, ask the ward staff about CHC screening before discharge.
- Through the care home: If your parent is already in a care home, ask the manager to request a screening.
- Through your GP: Your parent’s GP can refer for a CHC checklist.
- Directly: You can contact your local Integrated Care Board and request an assessment.
What If They’re Turned Down?
Many initial applications are refused. Don’t accept a “no” without understanding why. You have the right to:
- See the completed Decision Support Tool and understand how each domain was rated
- Request a local review if you disagree with the decision (within 6 months)
- Escalate to NHS England for an independent review if the local review doesn’t resolve it
- Contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman as a final step
Organisations like Beacon (beaconchc.co.uk) offer specialist help with CHC appeals, and some work on a no-win, no-fee basis.
Retrospective Claims
If your parent should have been assessed for CHC in the past but wasn’t, you may be able to claim a refund of care fees already paid. This applies even if your parent has since passed away. The refunds can be substantial — sometimes tens of thousands of pounds.
The Difference Between CHC and NHS-Funded Nursing Care
Don’t confuse these two:
- CHC: Fully funded care — the NHS pays everything.
- NHS-Funded Nursing Care (FNC): A flat-rate contribution (around £220/week in 2026) towards the nursing element of care in a nursing home. You still pay the rest.
If your parent is in a nursing home and doesn’t qualify for full CHC, they should automatically receive FNC. If they’re not getting it, ask the care home why.
If you’re looking at care homes while navigating the funding process, CareFinder can help you compare options in your area.