Free CHC & Care Funding Guides

Free, evidence-based guides on UK care funding. Written in plain English, based on primary legislation.

All articles are reviewed by social workers and care professionals. Our content follows an independent editorial policy with named sources, published dates, and a clear corrections process.

7 Things Families Wish They'd Known Before a CHC Assessment

Only 16.65% of CHC assessments now succeed (King's Fund, 2026). Seven things families learn the hard way — from the refusal-letter trap to the records you must gather first.

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CHC Checklist Scores Explained: What A, B and C Mean

CHC Checklist scores explained: what A, B and C mean across 11 domains, the exact rule that triggers a full assessment, and why only ~17% are found eligible.

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CHC Cost-Shifting: What It Means for Families in 2026

Councils overspent adult social care by £774m in 2024-25 — 73% blame CHC cost-shifting. Here's what happens when the NHS hands your family the bill.

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How CHC Eligibility Varies by ICB: The 2026 Picture

NHS CHC eligibility ranges from 20 to 95 eligible adults per 50,000 between England's ICBs — an almost five-fold gap. Why, and how to check your area.

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Rejected Twice, No Paperwork: What CHC Families Actually Go Through

Public forum threads in 2026 describe CHC refusals with little paperwork and 18-month appeals. Three composite family stories and what the pattern reveals.

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CHC Funding Criteria 2026: What the Framework Actually Requires

Only 17% of CHC assessments now find people eligible. Here's exactly what the 2022 National Framework requires — and where families lose evidence.

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CHC Funding for Dementia: Essential Family Guide

Only 17% of CHC assessments find people eligible, and dementia families face the system's worst structural disadvantages. Here's how to evidence them.

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Inside the CHC IRP Hearing: A Family's Day-by-Day Preparation Guide

Preparing for a CHC Independent Review Panel? NHS England's process takes 3–6 months and the ~1-hour Teams hearing accepts no new evidence. How to prepare.

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Running the Local Resolution Meeting: 11 Plays Families Use to Reverse a CHC Refusal

Only 13% of CHC local resolution requests succeed (Nuffield Trust, 2024) — but evidence-led families do better. 11 tactical plays for the meeting that reverses a refusal.

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What Happens at an NHS CHC MDT Assessment? A Family's 2026 Guide

Only 16.65% of CHC assessments now succeed (King's Fund, 2026). What happens at the MDT meeting, how the 12-domain Decision Support Tool scores, and how to prepare.

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MDT Evidence Pack: Domain-by-Domain Mapping Template for CHC (2026 Free Download)

Free 2026 template to map evidence to all 12 CHC DST domains before the MDT. Built for families. Only 17% of Standard CHC assessments now succeed.

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