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NHS Continuing Healthcare and continuing care equivalents

What NHS Continuing Healthcare is, who might qualify, and how the equivalent fully NHS-funded care schemes work in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Sample content. This prototype article summarises official UK sources listed at the end of the page. It is information, not legal or medical advice, and what you are entitled to depends on your circumstances.

Jurisdiction
UK-wide
Date last checked
21 June 2026
Date last updated
21 June 2026
Next review due
21 December 2026
Article version
1.0
Review status
Review status: Published and checked

Overview

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of ongoing care that is arranged and funded solely by the NHS in England, for people with complex, intense or unpredictable health needs, whether they live at home or in a care home. It is not means-tested.

Wales has its own NHS Continuing Healthcare framework, similar in principle to England's, following a national decision support tool and eligibility criteria.

Scotland does not have an identical named scheme, but NHS boards fund 'Hospital Based Complex Clinical Care' and can fund care outside hospital where the primary need is a health need, alongside free personal care available to all who need it.

Northern Ireland provides continuing healthcare through Health and Social Care Trusts using its own eligibility framework, separate from social care charging.

Eligibility in England and Wales is based on having a 'primary health need', assessed using a standard checklist and then a full multidisciplinary Decision Support Tool, looking at things such as the nature, complexity, intensity and unpredictability of your needs.

Common barriers people describe

  • The process can be lengthy, and many applications are initially unsuccessful, sometimes requiring an appeal.
  • Confusion between NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded nursing care, which is a smaller, fixed contribution towards nursing costs in a care home for people who do not qualify for full CHC.
  • Inconsistent quality of assessments between different areas, despite a national framework and tool.
  • Families sometimes not being told about the right to request a CHC checklist or full assessment before care charges are agreed.

Practical support

  • Ask your GP, hospital discharge team, district nurse or social worker to arrange an initial CHC checklist assessment if you think your needs might be primarily health-related.
  • If the checklist indicates you may be eligible, a full assessment using the Decision Support Tool will be carried out by a multidisciplinary team, and you (and, with consent, your family) should be invited to take part.
  • Beacon (a specialist charity) and Citizens Advice offer free, independent advice on Continuing Healthcare assessments and appeals in England and Wales.
  • Keep copies of all assessments and correspondence, as these are often needed if you request a review or appeal a decision.

Your rights

  • If you are found not eligible, you can ask for a local resolution review, and in England ultimately refer the case to NHS England for an independent review panel.
  • You have a right to be involved in your assessment, and to have your needs, and those of your carer where relevant, properly recorded before a decision is made.
  • Care that is fully NHS-funded through CHC (or its national equivalents) should not be charged for, regardless of your income or savings.
  • Retrospective claims can sometimes be made if you believe you should have been assessed for CHC in the past and were not, though strict time limits usually apply.

Possible benefits and financial support

These are things you may want to check. Nothing here is a decision, and entitlement always depends on your circumstances.

  • Being assessed for, or receiving, Continuing Healthcare does not affect your entitlement to disability benefits such as Attendance Allowance or PIP, though Attendance Allowance is not usually paid once fully NHS-funded care in a hospital or care home has continued beyond a certain period.

Workplace adjustments to consider

    Education adjustments to consider

      Getting healthcare that works for you

      • NHS Continuing Healthcare can be provided in a person's own home, a care home, a hospice or elsewhere, and should be planned to reflect where the person wants to live wherever possible.
      • A care and support plan should still be produced for someone receiving CHC, setting out how their assessed needs will be met.

      Related rights topics

      Sources

      Every fact on this page comes from the sources below. Follow the links for the full, official version.

      Update history

      • Version 1.0 — 21 June 2026

        First published sample article on NHS Continuing Healthcare and equivalent schemes across the UK.

        Approved by: Editorial reviewer (sample)

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