300,000 state pensioners handed free £1,078 depending on where they live

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, if you have a disability or complex medical problem, you might qualify for free NHS continuing healthcare.

Hundreds of thousands of state pensioners living in care homes can get 100 per cent of their fees covered by the NHS thanks to a little-known scheme. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, if you have a disability or complex medical problem, you might qualify for free NHS continuing healthcare.

This covers extra costs, such as help with washing or dressing, paying for specialist therapy, accommodation if your care is provided in a care home and support for carers if you’re being looked after at home. At the last count, there were 278,946 people aged 65 years and over living in care homes in England and Wales.

You might qualify for NHS continuing healthcare, or HSC continuing healthcare, if you have significant or ongoing health needs due to a disability, accident, or illness, complex care requirements that go beyond what your local council, social services, or HSC, can provide or post-hospital discharge and need high level of care, or an existing care review has found that your needs have increased.

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If you receive care in your own home the NHS covers the cost of the care and support you need to meet your assessed health and associated care needs, which includes personal care such as help with washing and getting dressed.

If you receive NHS continuing healthcare in a care home the NHS pays your care home fees. To get NHS continuing healthcare you must have ongoing significant physical and/or mental health needs, and having taken account of all your needs, it can be said that the main aspects or majority part of the care you need is focused on addressing and/or preventing health needs.

Age UK explains: "On average, it costs around £800 a week for a place in a care home and £1,078 a week for a place in a nursing home. However, these are average figures – individual care homes may charge more or less."

The charity explains: "If your needs are primarily health-based, the NHS arrange and pay for your care under NHS continuing healthcare. If you're eligible for NHS continuing healthcare, your care home placement will be free. When assessing your needs, the council must refer you to the NHS if they think you might be eligible for NHS continuing healthcare.

"If you think your need for NHS continuing healthcare hasn't been properly considered, ask the local NHS Integrated Care Board for an assessment. If you don't meet the criteria for NHS continuing healthcare, but need nursing care, the NHS pays a contribution towards the cost of the nursing care directly to the nursing home. This is called NHS-funded nursing care."