County Council

COVID-19 resulted in the postponement of many groups, services and activities. Others changed how they operate or had to stop completely. This guide reflects ‘business as usual’ and it is recommended that you check with the activity, group or service to determine availability and get the most up-to-date information.

From October 2025, the Government intends to introduce a new £86,000 cap on the amount anyone in England will need to spend on their personal care over their lifetime.

The upper capital limit, the threshold above which people become ‘self-funders’ and will pay for their care in full, will rise to £100,000 from the current £23,250. This means that more people will be protected from paying the full cost of their care from their assets.

The lower capital limit, the threshold below which people will not have to pay for their care from their assets and only what they can afford from their income, will increase to £20,000 from £14,250. This means that more people will be protected from paying towards their care from their assets.

As per the current system, people whose assets fall between the capital limits will pay what they can afford towards the cost of their care from their income plus a means-tested ‘tariff’ contribution from their assets.

For more information, visit https://engage.dhsc.gov.uk/social-care-reform

I’m delighted to welcome you to the 2023 edition of the Gloucestershire Care and Support Guide, which offers solutions to help keep you, or the person you care for, happy, healthy and safe.

Many people still believe that care means either a care home or a paid care worker who comes to you, but there are many different ways of finding help and helping yourself to live well for longer, independently and in your own home. That’s why this guide is focused on highlighting all of the care choices available to you in Gloucestershire.

We want to introduce you to the wide range of options available, before you make any decisions about care services and how to pay for them.

If you do decide that a care home is the best option, this guide can help with that too. It provides lots of useful information, from the right questions to ask when you visit a care home, through to getting independent financial advice about paying for care.

We know that it’s difficult when we start to worry that we aren’t coping. It’s equally difficult when we start to worry about a loved one. Gloucestershire County Council is committed to helping you worry less and live more, and this guide is an important resource to help you do just that.

Councillor Kathy Williams Lead cabinet member for adult social care