Continuing Care
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consideration is given within NHS Continuing Healthcare decision-making to the potential impact of decisions to not fund people with significant care needs on (a) families and (b) unpaid carers.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of National Health Service-funded care to meet the physical or mental health needs of adults which have arisen as a result of disability, accident, or illness. Eligibility for CHC is not determined by age, diagnosis or condition, or financial means.
A public information leaflet on CHC includes information on other support available for people who are found not eligible for CHC, and is available at the following link:
The Government recognises the vital contribution made by unpaid carers and is committed to ensuring they receive the support they need. Many people wish to care for family members and friends, and we are determined to help them do so. For example, on 7 April 2025, the weekly earnings limit for Carer’s Allowance increased from £151 to £196, equivalent to 16 hours at the National Living Wage. This represents the largest increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976.
Local authorities have duties, under the Care Act 2014, to support people caring for their family and friends. Unpaid carers are entitled to a carer’s assessment from their local authority, and local authorities have a duty to meet eligible carers’ needs, including when the person they care for is eligible for CHC.
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