Arranging care in West Sussex
West Sussex County Council is the upper tier local authority for a large stretch of the South East coast and countryside, covering Chichester, Worthing, Horsham, Crawley, Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis and Shoreham-by-Sea. Whether a family is looking at coastal towns for a parent near the sea or rural options inland around Horsham, the starting point for arranging support is the same.
Adult social care in West Sussex is coordinated by the county council rather than the district councils. Families usually begin by contacting West Sussex County Council's adult social care team to request a needs assessment. This assessment is free and is the formal way of working out what help someone requires, whether that is support at home, day services, or a move into residential care homes or nursing homes. If care is likely to be needed, a separate financial assessment then looks at income, savings and assets to work out how much the person contributes and what the council may fund.
Local choice and care options
The area has a substantial care market, with around 545 CQC-registered care homes across West Sussex. That gives families a genuine choice between larger providers in towns like Crawley and Worthing and smaller, family-run homes in villages around Chichester and Haywards Heath. Home care agencies operate across all the main towns for those who want to remain in their own property for longer.
Paying for care
Funding routes in West Sussex include council-funded care after a means test, self funding, NHS Continuing Healthcare for those with significant health needs, direct payments, and deferred payment agreements where the value is tied up in a property. As a general guide, home care in West Sussex tends to sit around £22 to £28 per hour, residential care homes around £1,100 to £1,400 per week, and nursing homes higher again at around £1,300 to £1,700 per week, with coastal and rural locations often at the upper end.
Taking the first step, whether that is a call to West Sussex County Council or a visit to a local home, is usually the hardest part. From there, the process is designed to guide families through at their own pace.
