Arranging care in Hampshire
Hampshire County Council is the upper tier local authority for one of the largest counties in the South East, covering Winchester, Basingstoke, Andover, Fareham, Eastleigh, Fleet, Alton, Petersfield and Romsey, along with the many rural villages in between. Whether your family lives in a market town like Alton or a busy commuter hub like Fleet, adult social care across the county is coordinated by the same council team.
The first step for most families is to contact Hampshire County Council's adult services and request a needs assessment. This assessment is free, and it looks at how someone is managing day to day and what support would help them stay safe and independent. If the assessment shows eligible needs, a separate financial assessment then works out how much the person contributes towards their care. As with all English councils, Hampshire applies the national capital thresholds, so savings and, in some cases, property value are taken into account.
Choosing from the local care market
Hampshire has one of the deepest care markets in the South East, with around 832 CQC registered care homes spread across the county. That gives families a genuine choice when comparing residential care homes in Winchester, dementia specialist nursing homes near Basingstoke, or smaller homes in villages around Petersfield and Romsey. Home care is also widely available, which suits people who want to stay in their own house with visiting support.
Paying for care
Funding usually comes from a mix of council contributions, NHS Continuing Healthcare where clinical needs are high, and self funding. Indicative weekly costs in the Hampshire area are around £20 to £30 per hour for home care, £1,200 to £1,500 for residential care homes, and £1,400 to £1,800 for nursing homes, with higher fees common in Winchester, Fleet and the more affluent parts of the county.
If you are just starting out, a call to Hampshire County Council to trigger the needs assessment is a sensible first move, alongside exploring the homes and home care providers listed for your local town.
