Care Funding in Scotland: What's Different and What You Need to Know

Topic cluster: Regional Care Home Guides | Reading time: 6 min

Scotland has one of the most generous care funding systems in the UK — offering free personal care for all eligible adults regardless of income. If your parent lives in Scotland, this makes a significant difference to what care costs. This guide explains how Scottish care funding works.

The Key Difference: Free Personal Care

Since 2002, Scotland has provided free personal care to all adults who have been assessed as needing it — regardless of their income or savings. This is called the Free Personal and Nursing Care (FPNC) scheme and is unique to Scotland in the UK.

Free personal care covers tasks such as:

• Washing and bathing
• Dressing and undressing
• Assistance with toileting
• Help with mobility
• Medication management

It does not cover accommodation costs. If your parent moves into a care home, they still pay for their room, board, and non-care costs — but the personal care element is funded regardless of income.

Free Personal Care Payments (2026/2027)

The free care payments are made by the council directly to the care home or care provider:

These rates are reviewed periodically by the Scottish Government.

Financial Assessment in Scotland

Although personal care is free, your parent still undergoes a financial assessment for the non-care costs of a care home (accommodation, meals, activities).

Scotland's thresholds (2026/2027):

• Upper threshold: £35,000
• Lower threshold: £21,500

If total assets are above £35,000: your parent pays non-care costs in full
If between £21,500 and £35,000: partial council contribution
If below £21,500: full council contribution to non-care costs

Property and the Scottish Assessment

As in England, the value of your parent's home is typically included in the financial assessment for care home non-care costs — unless a protected person (spouse, partner, eligible relative) continues to live in the property.

Scotland also operates a deferred payment scheme similar to England's, allowing the debt to be repaid when the property is eventually sold.

Home Care in Scotland

For home care in Scotland:

• Personal care is free for adults assessed as needing it (the free personal care scheme applies)
• Councils are recommended to disregard the first £10,000 of savings for people over State Pension age when assessing contributions to non-personal care costs
• Councils may charge for non-personal care elements of home care (such as domestic help)

Applying for Assessment in Scotland

Your parent's care needs assessment is arranged through the local council's adult social care department. Contact your local council and request an assessment — or ask the GP or hospital team to make a referral.

To find your local council in Scotland: mygov.scot

For specific care funding guidance in Scotland, Age Scotland (agescotland.org.uk) provides free helpline support: 0800 12 44 222.

NHS Continuing Healthcare in Scotland

NHS CHC is available in Scotland on broadly similar terms to England — for people with a primary health need. It is administered by NHS boards in Scotland.

Care Inspectorate Scotland

In Scotland, the body equivalent to England's CQC is the Care Inspectorate (careinspectorate.com). It inspects and rates care homes on a 1–6 scale, with 6 being excellent. Reports are publicly available on the Care Inspectorate website.

Summary: Scotland vs England

Scotland is clearly more generous in its care funding — if your parent lives there, the financial position is meaningfully different from England.

Find care homes in Scotland at homeformum.com

Related articles: Care Home Costs UK 2026 | How Care Home Funding Works | Care Funding in Wales | Financial Assessment for Care Fees