This guide explains what adult social care is, who can receive it, what types of adult social care services are available and where you can find trusted care providers.
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At a glance
- Adult social care provides professional care and support to help adults live safely, comfortably and independently.
- It can support older adults, people with disabilities, dementia, addictions or mental health needs and can give family carers a break.
- Care can be delivered in many locations including at home, in residential homes, nursing homes and dementia care homes.
- Access to funded care depends on care needs assessments and financial assessments. Families can compare care providers
Adult social care is vital for so many people in the UK, particularly with an ageing population in Britain but some people do not understand what adult social care services involves and who it can help.
Whether you’re researching care options for yourself, a family member or a friend, getting clear, reliable information is the first step in making the right care decisions.
What is adult social care?
Adult social care includes a wide range of support services designed to help adults who need extra care and support to live as independently, safely and comfortably as possible.
Medical care focusing on health conditions or treatment is provided by the NHS.
This differs from adult social care, which focuses on daily wellbeing, independence and quality of life for people needing care and support.
Types of adult social care support
Adult social care ensures individuals can live with dignity, comfort, and as much independence as possible.
Examples of adult social care support include:
- Personal care. This includes assistance with everyday intimate tasks such as showering, getting in and out of bed, going to the toilet, incontinence care and dressing.
- Assistance with eating and drinking, help with household tasks such as cooking and shopping, support with mobility, companionship to prevent loneliness and transport to attend medical appointments and visits to town centres/ social events.
- Respite care. This is short-term support. It can aid family carers who care full-time for a loved one. This could be daily or weekly care provided by a trained care worker to help the family carer take a break for a few days. Respite care can also be provided after someone has had an illness, injury, or a hospital stay. It can be given to people of all ages to help with movement, daily tasks and taking medication, which can be difficult for people in recovery.
- Dementia support.
- Complex care and support for people with long-term health conditions, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, learning disabilities, disabilities, addictions or mental health issues.
- Palliative and end-of-life care.
Who is adult social care for?
Adult social care is available to a wide range of people, including:
1. Older adults
Many older people require help with mobility, personal care, or safety at home. Others may benefit from the social interaction, routine, and 24/hour support provided in a care home.
2. Adults with physical disabilities
Individuals with short-term or long-term physical disabilities may need equipment, home adaptations or regular care support.
3. Adults with learning disabilities
Support can include residential care, supported living, employment support and daily living assistance.
4. People living with dementia
Dementia-specific care services provide dementia-friendly environments, trained staff, and tailored activities designed to promote safety and wellbeing.
5. Adults with mental health conditions
Social care can help with supported accommodation, daily living, rehabilitation, and community-based services.
6. Family carers who need a break (respite)
Family carers often need breaks from full-time caring responsibilities. Adult social care includes respite care options that offer temporary support.
Where does adult social care take place?
Types of adult social care settings
Adult social care services should be personalised to the individual and choosing the right type of care depends on the individual’s preferences, needs and funding.
Adult social care provision includes:
- Adult Day Centres support older people or adults with physical or cognitive impairments, such as dementia, who cannot stay at home alone safely. With support and care they can socialise. There are 840 adult day centres in the UK, according to carehome.co.uk to date (10 December 2025)
- Home care (also called domiciliary care or care at home) is for people who need help with daily living but wish to remain in their own homes rather than move into a care home or hospital. Home care visits can include personal care, help with complex care needs such as dementia, assistance with household tasks such as cooking, cleaning, shopping and companionship e.g. walks out with a home care worker to prevent loneliness and isolation.
- Live-in care – A care worker lives in your home to help you with daily care and companionship. It allows you to stay in your own home and have someone help you maintain the house and your lifestyle including your social life, pets and standard of living.
- Extra care housing – Extra care housing (also known as supported living services /sheltered housing/assisted living) offers people more independence than a care home because they can live in a self-contained flat while getting meals provided. They can also receive personal care, where required. There are 1,574 extra care housing schemes in the UK, according to data from carehome.co.uk.
- Retirement villages provide care and support services which are on-site, as and when you need them. Retirement villages have different types of housing typically a community of flats or sometimes houses, that are inhabited exclusively by retired people. Some retirement villages include a care home on one site.
- Mental health hospitals can support behavioural and mental health complications. Trained staff support adults who have complex needs, challenging behaviour, substance misuse etc.
- Residential care homes – Residential homes are designed for people who do not need 24-hour nursing care but are unable to care for their daily needs and so cannot live independently. They can support older people and those aged 18-65 with, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, dementia, mental health issues, alcohol/drug dependence or other care needs. They can offer emergency, respite, short term, long-term care and even palliative care to older people and young adults. There are 11,391 residential care homes in the UK, with 265,741 registered beds, according to data from carehome.co.uk.
- Dementia residential care/ EMI CARE home– If you or your family member develops advanced dementia or cognitive decline, one of many care options is an EMI care home. There are 8,198 UK Dementia Residential Care Homes in the UK according to data from carehome.co.uk (10 December 2025.)
- Nursing homes – Nursing homes offer residential care as well as 24-hour medical care from a qualified nurse for care needs such as dementia care. There are 5,065 nursing homes in the UK, with 264,903 registered beds, according to data from carehome.co.uk.
- Hospices – For people with a terminal illness or condition, hospices offer end-of-life medical care. To be considered for hospice care, you have to be terminally ill or expected to die in six months.
How can I adult social care and is adult social care free?
Medical care focusing on health conditions or treatment is provided for free by the NHS to UK citizens.
When it comes to adult social care services, you may be eligible for funded care in the UK.
In Scotland, everyone, regardless of income, assets or partner status, receives free personal and nursing (up to a certain limit) if they have been assessed by the local authority as needing it.
If you live in Scotland, you will still have to contribute towards your accommodation costs in the care home.
From April 2025, the personal and nursing care payment rates are:
- £254.60 a week for personal care.
- £114.55 a week for nursing care.
How much of adult social care fees you will have to pay as a resident depends on your finances and assets, such as property. If you have to pay all the costs yourself, you are referred to as a self-funder.
If your local authority is helping you with some or all of the costs of your social care, your care is state-funded.
The savings and assets thresholds in the UK for 2025/26 are below – i.e. how much money you can have before you must pay for care home fees.
- England
- Lower limit: £14,250 (will need to pay for some of your care fees)
- Upper limit: £23,250 (will need to pay for all of your care fees)
- Scotland
- Lower limit: £21,500
- Upper limit: £35,000
- Wales: One limit of £50,000
- Northern Ireland
- Lower limit: £14,250
- Upper limit: £23,250
To determine whether or not you get state-funded care (funded by your local authority) you will need a:
1. Care Needs Assessment
If you feel that you or a family member need some care or support with daily tasks, you can ask for a care needs assessment from your local authority.
This assessment will determine what your care and support needs are.
2. Financial Assessment
After your care needs assessment, your local authority can conduct a financial assessment to determine what your financial circumstances are.
Also known as a means test, this identifies whether the council will fund your care or if you have to fund your own care (known as self-funded care).
The financial assessment will determine whether you are entitled to have the care you require funded in full, part-funded or not at all by your local authority.
The assessment will look at your income, pensions, savings and property.
3. Choose your adult social care provider
Whether care is needed in a residential care setting or at home, understanding your options and where to find trusted care providers helps families feel in control.
Families can compare adult social care services including care homes, check reviews, fees and care inspection ratings to find the best match.
This is where trusted directories play a vital role. As well as finding home care services and live-in care on homecare.co.uk, you can search for care homes and other adult social care providers on carehome.co.uk.
Find care home providers on carehome.co.uk
With thousands of up-to-date listings, carehome.co.uk makes it easier to make informed care decisions. You can find high-quality care to meet your needs, if you’re starting your care-seeking journey.
carehome.co.uk enables you to research and compare:
- Care homes.
- Nursing homes.
- Dementia care providers.
- Independent reviews and ratings.
- Care regulator inspection results, e.g. Care Quality Commission, Care Inspectorate, Care Inspectorate Wales, RQIA.
- Fee information and service details.
Adult social care plays a vital role in supporting people to live well and stay independent. For trusted, independent reviews and a full directory of services, check out carehome.co.uk to start your search.