Arranging care in Bath and North East Somerset
Bath and North East Somerset Council is a unitary authority in the South West of England, covering the city of Bath along with Keynsham, Midsomer Norton, Radstock and the surrounding villages of the Somer Valley and Chew Valley. Because it is a unitary council, all adult social care responsibilities sit under one roof at Bath & NE Somerset, so families do not need to navigate a separate county and district structure.
If you or a relative are starting to think about support, the first step is to contact the adult social care team at Bath and North East Somerset Council and request a needs assessment. This assessment is free, regardless of income or savings, and looks at what daily tasks are becoming difficult, whether that is washing, dressing, mobility or managing at home safely. If the assessment confirms eligible needs, a financial assessment (means test) follows to work out what the council will contribute and what the person needs to pay themselves.
The local care market is reasonably varied, with 80 CQC-registered care homes across the Bath & NE Somerset area. That gives families a genuine choice between smaller residential care homes in market towns like Midsomer Norton and Radstock, larger nursing homes near Bath, and specialist dementia provision closer to Keynsham.
Paying for care and typical fees
Funding usually comes from one of three routes: full local authority funding for those below the capital threshold, part funding with a client contribution, or self-funding for those above the upper threshold. NHS Continuing Healthcare may apply where needs are primarily health-related, and deferred payment agreements can help if the main asset is the family home.
As a rough guide for Bath and North East Somerset Council area, home care typically costs around £22 to £28 per hour, residential care homes average around £1,000 to £1,300 per week, and nursing homes tend to sit higher at around £1,200 to £1,600 per week. Fees vary by provider, room type and level of need, so it is always worth comparing two or three options before deciding.
