Does the house count for home care? No. The NHS says that when someone receives care at home, the value of their house is not included in the council's financial assessment. Hertfordshire County Council says the same: for care at home, only assets other than the home they live in are counted against the £23,250 limit.
To talk anything through with someone local, our Hertford team is on 01920 746779.
For many families, the house is the question underneath every other question. It might be the home your mum has lived in for decades, the one you grew up in, and the thought of it being sold to pay for care can sit heavily. You might also be hearing different things from friends, and not know which version is right.
This is something we talk through with families often, and the rules for care at home are more reassuring than many people expect.
Is the family home counted if Mum has care at home?
No. The NHS guide to the financial assessment says that if you are getting care at home, or a short stay in a care home, the value of your house will not be included.
Hertfordshire County Council puts it plainly. Someone receiving care at home pays the full cost only if their assets, excluding the property they live in, are over £23,250. The law behind this, the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014, disregards the value of the main or only home where care is not provided in a care home.
What does count when paying for home care?
The NHS lists what the council looks at:
- savings in bank and building society accounts, and ISAs
- property or land other than the home they live in, including property overseas
- other assets and investments
So a second home, a buy-to-let flat or a plot of land can count, even though the main home does not. The NHS says the council will not need to know the value of possessions or life insurance policies.
When can the house count?
Mainly when someone moves permanently into a care home. Hertfordshire County Council says that for a care home, assets including money or property over £23,250 are counted.
Even then, there are exceptions:
- Someone still lives there. The NHS says the house is not counted if someone still lives in it, such as a partner or a close relative aged 60 or over, and certain other relatives.
- The first 12 weeks. The regulations disregard the home for 12 weeks from the day someone first moves permanently into a care home.
- A short stay. The NHS says the house is not counted for a short stay in a care home.
Our article on home care or a care home in Hertfordshire sets out the wider differences between the two.
What if Mum later needs a care home?
Hertfordshire County Council offers deferred payments for some homeowners. Its page says these are for people who own their home, have less than £23,250 excluding it, and have been agreed to move to a care home permanently. The amount borrowed is repaid when the house is sold or the agreement ends, and the council lists legal and set-up costs and a weekly fee.
Our guide to deferred payment agreements explains how they work.
Can you give the house away to protect it?
The NHS warns against this. It says spending money or giving away property before an assessment will not work, and that if the council thinks someone reduced their wealth on purpose, it might stop financial help.
Decisions about the house deserve proper advice. Hertfordshire County Council notes that financial advice may help you make informed decisions, that advisers charge a fee, and points to the Society of Later Life Advisers.
Questions to ask before you decide anything
- Is the plan care at home, or a permanent move into a care home?
- Apart from the home your parent lives in, what savings, investments or other property do they have?
- Does anyone else live in the house, such as a partner or an older relative?
- Has your parent had a free care needs assessment from the council?
- Would independent advice help, for example from HertsHelp on 0300 123 4044?
How Starling Homecare can help
Care at home lets your mum stay in the house that matters to her, and for care at home that house is not part of the means test. Starling Homecare is a family run, CQC registered provider. In Hertford we arrange live-in care, and in St Albans, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Hatfield, Potters Bar and Cheshunt our visiting care can include:
- visits from 30 minutes, between 7am and 10pm, priced per visit from £34 a visit
- personal care, meals, and medication prompting and support
- help around the house and companionship
- overnight care, or live-in care from £255 a day, if needs grow
On the first call, we want to understand what you are going through and what life looks like for your mum today. Usually the best next step is an informal chat at home, so we can answer your questions in more detail and get to know her. We then propose a care plan with your involvement and hers. Every family receives a written quote before anything begins, and there are no long-term or fixed-term contracts.
For the full picture on savings and contributions, read our guide to the care means test.
Areas we cover
Starling Homecare's carers visit people at home in St Albans, Harpenden, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield, Potters Bar and Cheshunt, and the villages around them. Elsewhere in Hertfordshire, including Berkhamsted, Tring, Radlett and Shenley, Hitchin and Hertford, we arrange live-in care.
If you are still working out what your parent needs, start with our guide for families worried about an elderly parent. Locally, here is how we arrange live-in care in Hertford, Bengeo and Ware.
Frequently asked questions
Will Mum have to sell her house to pay for home care?
Not because of the means test. The NHS says the value of the house is not included in the financial assessment for care at home. Hertfordshire County Council counts only assets other than the home she lives in against the £23,250 limit. Savings, investments and any second property do count.
Does the house count if Dad still lives there and Mum goes into a care home?
The NHS says the house is not counted if someone still lives there, such as a partner or a close relative aged 60 or over. So if your dad stays in the family home, its value would not usually count for your mum's care home fees. The council will confirm this in its assessment.
Can I get home care for my mum in Hertford without selling the house?
Yes. For care at home, the house your mum lives in is not counted in the means test. Starling Homecare's Hertford team, on 01920 746779, covers Hertford, Bengeo and Ware. It usually starts with a phone call, then an informal chat at home and a written quote.
The house often carries a lifetime of memories, and it helps to know where you stand before making any big decision. Our Hertford team is on 01920 746779. You will be talking to someone who arranges care every day, and who can explain how care at home fits around the home your mum loves.
Guidance checked on 26 October 2026 against the NHS, Hertfordshire County Council and the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014.
Arranging Care Is Simple
Starting care can feel like a big step. We keep it calm and straightforward, and we are here to guide you from your very first call.
1. Talk to us
Get in touch by phone or request a callback. We will listen, answer your questions and help you understand the options, so you can decide what feels right in your own time.
2. A home visit and initial consultation
We arrange a visit to understand your routines, your home and what matters most to you. Together we agree an initial consultation and shape the support that feels right.
3. Your care begins
A small, familiar team starts your care, arriving at the agreed times and staying involved as your needs change. We remain your trusted adviser throughout.
Whenever you are ready, we are here to help.