A Pure Life Guide to Home Care Funding in East Kent

There’s a moment many families recognise instantly.

It might arrive after a fall. A hospital stay. A diagnosis. Or simply one of those quiet realisations that sneaks up on you and refuses to leave.

The “I think we might need a bit of help at home” moment.

At Pure Life, that’s where we meet families where the love is unbreakable, but the energy maybe running low; when caring at home feels right… and also uncertain; when Google has been searched, opinions collected, yet clarity is a way off.

So let’s slow things down for a moment Take a breath. And walk through home care funding in East Kent together, gently, clearly, and without the jargon headache.

Call 01227 207340 Email support@purelifecare.co.uk

No pressure. No panic. Just a clear guide at your side.

When care becomes a conversation

Most families don’t plan for home care which means planning and decision making can feel rushed.

First thing to know: You don’t have to be in crisis to ask for help. And you don’t have to figure this out alone.

If you’re supporting a loved one at home in Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay or Faversham (or in fact across the whole of East Kent) there are three main sources of support and funding that families often explore:

Kent County Council Adult Social Care

Support with everyday living and care at home, based on a care needs assessment and a means test.

Read more

NHS Continuing Healthcare

NHS funded care for complex health needs, not means tested, based on health needs.

Read more

Carers’ Support East Kent

Support, advice, and possible grants for unpaid carers across East Kent.

Read more

Kent County Council home care funding

For many Pure Life families, the journey starts with Kent County Council Adult Social Care. This type of funding is designed to support people who need help with daily living activities, such as:

  • Washing and dressing
  • Getting in and out of bed
  • Preparing meals
  • Remembering medication
  • Staying safe and independent at home

In short, the everyday things that quietly become harder over time.

A gentle nudge: Families are often brilliant at coping. We get it. We’ve been there. But sometimes too brilliant.
Please be assured asking for help isn’t giving up. It’s protecting dignity, safety, and independence and improving the quality of life for you and your loved ones.
Its allowing husbands and wives to be husbands and wives again. Sons and daughters to be the same. That’s the value of home care.


How it begins: the Care Needs Assessment

Support from Kent County Council begins with a Care Needs Assessment.

Despite how it sounds, this is not a test. No one is marking your answers. There are no trick questions.

It’s simply a conversation about what life really looks like and the difficulties faced.

Is council funded home care means tested?

Yes. Local authority home care funding is means-tested.

That means income and savings are considered when deciding whether someone contributes toward the cost of care.

But even if someone ends up self-funding, the assessment is still hugely valuable because it:

  • Opens the door to professional advice
  • Helps plan care properly
  • Creates a formal record if needs change later

Some families also choose Direct Payments, which give greater choice and flexibility, allowing care to fit your family, rather than forcing your family to fit a system.

Contact Kent County Council Adult Social Care

Tip: You can also use Kent Connect to Support to find helpful advice on care options and applications.

NHS Continuing Healthcare: When Health Needs Come First

Sometimes, care at home is driven less by daily tasks and more by ongoing health needs.
That’s where NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) comes in.

This funding:

  • Is fully funded by the NHS
  • Is not means tested
  • Is based on health needs, not age or diagnosis

NHS Continuing Healthcare can fund care at home when needs are complex, unpredictable, or require regular clinical oversight.

And let’s gently bust a myth while we’re here…

  • You don’t have to be “at the end of life.”
  • You don’t have to be “severely ill”
  • You simply need to ask for an assessment.

How do you apply for NHS Continuing Healthcare?

A CHC assessment can be requested by:

  • A GP
  • A nurse
  • A hospital team
  • A social worker

Sometimes families are told, “You won’t qualify.”

Please hear this kindly but clearly:
You are always entitled to an assessment.

And if the answer is no:

  • You’re entitled to understand why
  • You’re entitled to ask again if needs change

Health needs evolve. Circumstances shift. This is not a one-time opportunity.

Useful NHS info and next steps

There is a direct contact at CHC for assessments so the first point is always to contact a health professional first.

  • Speak first with your GP or healthcare professional to request a Continuing Healthcare assessment.
  • See the official NHS Continuing Healthcare guidance and referral checklist on the GOV.UK website if you want to prepare.
  • Integrated Care Board (South East region – CHC enquiries):

Email (NHS England South East CHC enquiries): england.southeast-chc@nhs.net

Phone: 0113 825 0899 (this is the NHS England CHC contact for the South East and can help with general CHC referral info)


Reminder: CHC eligibility decisions must be based on needs, not age or diagnosis, and you’re always entitled to an assessment.

Can you apply for council funding and NHS funding at the same time?

Yes, and many families do. In real life, Kent County Council support and NHS Continuing Healthcare often overlap.

Exploring both routes at the same time ensures:

  • Nothing is missed
  • Support is in place while decisions are made
  • Families feel less stuck waiting

There’s no “wrong door”. Just the next kind, practical step forward.

Support for Carers in East Kent (Because You Matter Too)

When families talk about care, the focus is usually on the person receiving support. But at Pure Life, we see something else every day.

We see:

  • Daughters juggling work, worry, and guilt
  • Partners quietly running on empty
  • Sons doing their best while insisting they’re “fine”

That’s where East Kent Carers Support plays a vital role.
They support unpaid carers across East Kent, family members, friends, neighbours, anyone regularly caring for someone who couldn’t manage without them.
And yes, that includes people who’ve never thought of themselves as “a carer”.

So let’s say this clearly: Carers need care too.

What Support Does East Kent Carers Support Offer?

East Kent Carers Support provides:

  • Information and advice
  • Emotional support
  • Help navigating services
  • Access to carers’ grants and funding

These grants can help with practical, everyday things that make caring more manageable, such as:

  • Short breaks or respite
  • Equipment
  • Training or wellbeing support
  • Items that reduce physical or emotional strain

Nothing extravagant. Just things that make life feel lighter

How do you apply for funding through East Kent Carers Support?

The process is refreshingly human.

  1. You make contact: you can self-refer — no professional referral required.
  2. You have a conversation: a support worker talks with you about your caring role and what would genuinely help.
  3. They guide you through funding options: if you’re eligible, they help you apply for available grants

Pure Life reassurance:
You don’t need to be at breaking point.
Support exists to prevent burnout not just respond to it.

Support for Carers – Carers' Support East Kent

This local charity provides information, emotional support, guidance, and carers’ grant applications — perfect if you’re caring for someone and need support for yourself too.


Contact details:


They can help with:

  • Carer grant applications
  • Wellbeing support and advice
  • Referrals and signposting to local services

A final word from Pure Life

At Pure Life, we believe home care should feel human and not like a maze of phone calls, forms, and conflicting advice.
If navigating home care funding feels overwhelming, emotional, or exhausting… that’s okay.
It doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you care deeply.
And that already tells us everything we need to know about you.


If you’d like to talk through:

  • Home care funding in East Kent
  • Council or NHS assessments
  • Support for carers
  • Or simply what the next step might be

We’re always here for a calm, kind, no-pressure conversation.


You don’t have to carry this alone.

Call us: 01227 207340

Email us: support@purelifecare.co.uk


Quick Summary (What to Call & When)

Situation Contact
You need a Care Needs Assessment Kent County Council Adult Social Care: 03000 41 61 61
You think health needs might qualify for NHS support Talk to your GP, then Ask About a CHC assessment (NHS England CHC South East contact above)
You’re an unpaid carer needing support or grants Carers’ Support East Kent: 0300 302 0061