NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a very valuable benefit as with it the NHS funds 100% of care costs (including care home fees) of those eligible.
However, only 1 in 5 of those who start an assessment are found eligible and so, as much as we’d like to, we can’t immediately tell you now whether you would likely be successful.
What we can do is give you an early indication whether or not it is something worth pursuing. Using your answers we’ll calculate a score and let you what you’ve indicated suggests:
- Strong signal – we think it is worth pursuing
- Moderated – still worth pursuing but your application isn’t as strong
- Possible – limited indication of need. It may not be worth pursuing at this time but revisiting if needs change
- Unlikely – At this time it is probably better to pursue other funding options
If you do think this is something to continue with we recommend seeking professional legal advice to help you through the process. Email us at [email protected] and we can help connect you with a specialist NHS CHC law practice.
Age Space's NHS Continuing Healthcare Eligibility Checker
Step 1 of 8
Is the person aged 18 or over with complex, ongoing health needs?
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a fully funded care package for adults. If eligible, the NHS pays for all care costs — including care home fees. Eligibility is not based on income, savings, or diagnosis.
💡 What CHC could mean: If awarded, the NHS funds 100% of care costs — potentially worth tens of thousands of pounds a year. It is not means-tested. However, the eligibility threshold is high and only around 1 in 5 people assessed are found eligible. This checker helps you decide whether it is worth requesting a formal assessment.
Step 2 of 8
Where does the person live?
CHC is available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland replaced it with a different system in 2015.
Step 3 of 8
Does the person have a rapidly deteriorating or terminal condition?
If someone is approaching the end of life or deteriorating quickly, there is a fast-track process that bypasses the standard assessment entirely.
💡 Fast Track: Where a clinician confirms the person has a rapidly deteriorating condition and may be approaching the end of life, a Fast Track Tool can be submitted directly — leading to an urgent decision, often within 48 hours.
Step 4 of 8
Where is the person currently receiving care?
CHC can fund care in any setting — at home, in a care home, or in a nursing home. The setting does not affect eligibility.
Step 5 of 8
How would you describe the person's needs in each area?
These are the care domains used in the official NHS CHC assessment. Rate each one honestly based on how things are on difficult days.
⚠️ Rate based on worst days, not best. CHC assessors look at the nature, intensity, complexity and unpredictability of needs — not the average. A need that fluctuates unpredictably is weighted heavily.
Mobility
Nutrition & hydration
Continence
Skin integrity
Breathing
Pain
Step 6 of 8
A few more areas to assess
Continue rating the person's needs across the remaining care domains.
Drug therapies & medication
Cognition
Behaviour
Psychological & emotional needs
Communication
Altered states of consciousness
Step 7 of 8
Has any health or social care professional been involved in the person's care?
A CHC assessment must be requested through a health or social care professional. Knowing who is already involved helps identify the right route.
Step 8 of 8
Has the person ever been assessed for CHC before?
Previous decisions can be challenged. Needs also change over time, and a new assessment can be requested if the person's condition has deteriorated since the last one.
