Free Personal Care in Scotland: Eligibility, Rates and What It Covers

Scotland is the only part of the UK that provides free personal care to everyone assessed as needing it, regardless of income or savings. If you are arranging care for a parent with dementia, this policy can save thousands of pounds per year — but only if you understand exactly what it covers and what it does not.

Who Qualifies

Any adult in Scotland who has been assessed by their local Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) as needing personal care is eligible. There is no means test for the personal care element itself. Your parent does not need a specific diagnosis — the assessment is based on functional need, not medical labels.

The assessment looks at whether your parent needs help with activities like washing, dressing, eating, managing medication, and mobility. If the HSCP determines these needs exist, the personal care component is funded regardless of your parent's savings or property.

Current Rates (2026/27)

The Scottish Government sets national rates each financial year:

• Free Personal Care: £260.30 per week
• Free Nursing Care: £117.10 per week (for residents in a nursing home who need registered nursing input)

These are paid directly to the care provider. If your parent is in a care home, the payments reduce the weekly bill. If your parent receives care at home, the assessed care hours are funded by the council through Self-Directed Support.

What Free Personal Care Covers

Personal care means hands-on physical assistance with daily living:

• Personal hygiene (bathing, washing, oral care)
• Continence management
• Eating and drinking assistance
• Mobility and transfers
• Medication prompting and administration
• Simple wound dressing and skin care

What It Does Not Cover

The policy does not cover accommodation, food, heating, laundry, or recreational activities in a care home. These "hotel costs" remain means-tested against your parent's capital and income.

It also does not cover domestic help (cleaning, shopping, cooking) when provided separately from personal care, though many home care packages bundle domestic tasks within a personal care visit.

How to Apply

You do not apply for free personal care directly. The process starts with a Community Care Assessment (also called a needs assessment) from your local HSCP. Contact your council's social work department or ask your parent's GP for a referral.

The assessment is an outcome-focused conversation where a social worker evaluates your parent's daily care needs and risks to their independence. If your parent is assessed as having "critical" or "substantial" needs under Scotland's National Eligibility Framework, services are arranged and the personal care element is funded automatically.

The Practical Gap

While free personal care is genuinely valuable, families often discover a significant gap between the FPC allowance and actual care costs. A care home charging above the National Care Home Contract rate will expect the family to cover the difference as a "top-up." Understanding this gap before your parent moves into a home prevents unpleasant surprises.

For a step-by-step guide to navigating the assessment process and calculating your parent's actual costs, see our Scotland Dementia Care Toolkit.

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