Who Qualifies for NHS Continuing Healthcare?
- SG67
- May 27
- 1 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
CHC eligibility is not decided on the basis of a diagnosis. The NHS does not look at what condition a person has and say 'yes' or 'no' on that basis. Eligibility is decided entirely on the nature of the person's care needs.
To qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC), you must be an adult aged 18 or over living in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland who is assessed as having a "primary health need". This fully funded, free package of care is not means-tested and is entirely covered by the NHS, regardless of your personal savings or income.
Key Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility is not based on a specific disease, diagnosis, or condition, but rather on how your health and care needs impact your day-to-day life. To qualify, the NHS must determine that the majority of your care is focused on addressing or managing health needs. [1, 2, 3]
Your needs are evaluated by a multidisciplinary team based on four main characteristics: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Nature: The type of your needs and the kind of support or treatment required.
Complexity: How different needs interact with each other, requiring specialized oversight.
Intensity: How severe and frequent your care needs are.
Unpredictability: How unstable your health is and the risks this creates.