The 12-Week Property Disregard Explained

Topic cluster: Care Home Costs & Funding | Reading time: 6 min

One of the least understood — but most practically useful — aspects of care home funding is the 12-week property disregard. If your parent owns their home and is moving into care, this provision can make a significant difference to how care is funded in the first few months.

What Is the 12-Week Property Disregard?

When your parent permanently moves into a care home, the value of their former home is excluded from the financial assessment for the first 12 weeks of that placement. During this period, the council assesses only savings, income, and other assets — not the property.

If your parent's savings and assets (excluding the property) fall below the funding threshold, the council will contribute to care costs during these 12 weeks. This provides a financial bridge while the property is being prepared for sale, or while the family considers other funding options.

Who Is Eligible?

You may be eligible for the 12-week property disregard if:

✅ Your parent is making a permanent move into a care home (not a short respite stay)
✅ Your parent owns the property being disregarded
✅ The property is your parent's former main or only residence
✅ No person with protected status (spouse, partner, relative over 60, disabled relative) continues to live in the property
✅ Your parent's savings excluding the property fall below the upper threshold for your country

If your parent's savings alone (excluding the property) already exceed the threshold, the disregard is not needed — they remain a self-funder regardless.

UK Thresholds for the Disregard (2026/2027)

Country	Upper threshold	Lower threshold
England	£23,250	£14,250
Scotland	£35,000	£21,500
Wales	£50,000	N/A
Northern Ireland	£23,250	£14,250

If your parent's savings (excluding property) are between the lower and upper threshold, they receive partial council funding during the 12 weeks. If below the lower threshold, they receive full council funding during this period.

How Much Does the Council Pay?

During the 12-week disregard:

If savings (ex-property) are below the lower threshold → council funds care in full (your parent contributes income, retaining a personal expenses allowance)
If savings (ex-property) are between the thresholds → council funds the difference; your parent contributes income and a tariff from savings above the lower threshold

These contributions from the council during the 12 weeks do not have to be repaid.

What Happens After 12 Weeks?

After the 12-week disregard period ends:

The council reassesses, this time including the property value
If property value pushes total assets above the threshold, your parent becomes a self-funder
Options at this point include selling the property, entering a Deferred Payment Agreement, or renting it out

If the property is sold during the 12 weeks, the disregard ends on the date of sale.

Top-Up Fees During the 12 Weeks

If your parent wants to live in a care home that costs more than the council's rate during the disregard period, a top-up fee can be paid by a third party (family member, charity, or trust). Your parent cannot pay their own top-up from their personal allowance.

Multiple 12-Week Disregards

Can your parent have more than one disregard? Yes, in some circumstances:

If your parent leaves care and returns after more than 12 months, they qualify for a full new 12-week disregard
If your parent leaves and returns within 12 months, they are entitled to the remaining portion of the original 12 weeks

Notifying the Council

The 12-week disregard is not automatic — you need to inform the council of the care placement and request the financial assessment. Contact your parent's local council's adult social care team as soon as the care placement is confirmed.

Practical Example

Your parent (living in England) moves permanently into a care home. Their savings are £10,000 (below £14,250). Their home is valued at £180,000.

Without the disregard: total assets £190,000 → self-funder, pays in full
With the 12-week disregard: savings only £10,000 → below lower threshold → council funds care in full for 12 weeks

After 12 weeks, the property value is included → total £190,000 → self-funder status. But your parent has had 12 weeks of funded care while arranging the property sale.

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