If you own a property that is your main home, we will look at whether the value of your home should be included in the financial assessment. In some situations, the value of your home will not be included. This is known as a property disregard.

Automatic property disregard

The value of your home may automatically be disregarded if someone has been living there and continues to live there after you move into a care home. This may include:

• your partner, former partner or civil partner, unless you are estranged
• your estranged or divorced partner if they are a lone parent
• a relative aged 60 or over
• your child, if they are under 18

12-week property disregard

Even if your home is not automatically disregarded, its value may still be ignored for the first 12 weeks if you plan to move permanently into a care home and your financial assessment (not including the value of your home) is below £23,250.

A property disregard can happen:

• when you first move into a care home as a permanent resident
• if an automatic property disregard ends unexpectedly, for example because a relative has died or moved into a care home

We may also consider a 12-week disregard if there is a sudden and unexpected change in your financial circumstances, such as a drop in the value of stocks and shares.

During this 12-week period you may want to consider whether a deferred payment agreement would help you continue to pay for care.