What is NHS Continuing Healthcare and Who Qualifies?
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of care that is fully funded by the NHS, covering all care costs with no means test and no contribution required from the individual or their family. It is available to adults in England whose care needs are primarily driven by a health condition rather than social or personal care needs. When awarded, CHC pays for care whether it is provided in a nursing home, a residential care home, or at home.
The key legal test is whether someone has a primary health need. This means that the nature, intensity, complexity, or unpredictability of their health needs must be the dominant reason they require care. Common conditions that may lead to a CHC award include advanced dementia, end-of-life care needs, complex neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease or MS, and severe stroke.
How to Use This CHC Checker
This tool mirrors the NHS CHC Checklist, the formal screening document used by NHS assessors to decide whether a full Decision Support Tool assessment is warranted. It covers the 11 care domains set out in the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare, including behaviour, cognition, communication, mobility, nutrition, and skin integrity.
For each domain, choose the description that best reflects the person's current level of need. At the end you will receive a summary indicating whether the responses suggest a strong, moderate, or low likelihood of meeting the CHC threshold, along with guidance on next steps. The checker takes around five minutes to complete.
What happens after the checklist?
If the checklist suggests eligibility, the next step is to request a full CHC assessment from your NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) or ask the hospital discharge team to arrange one. The full assessment uses the Decision Support Tool, a more detailed scoring process completed by a Multi-Disciplinary Team including a nurse and social worker. Families have the right to be present and to contribute to this process. If CHC is refused, you have the right to appeal through a local resolution process and, if needed, to an Independent Review Panel.
What if CHC is not awarded?
If someone does not qualify for CHC but is in a nursing home, the NHS will still pay the Funded Nursing Care rate of £235.88 per week directly to the home. For all other care costs, the council's means test applies. Use our Funding Calculator to estimate what you or the council will contribute based on savings, income, and weekly fees.
