England’s self-funders pay 40% more for care than councils on average

People who pay for their own social care in England are charged an average of 40% more than councils pay for care they arrange, research published by the Casey commission on 11 November 2026 found.

The research also found that two people with the same condition can experience different assessment processes, waiting times and levels of support depending on where they live.

Social care is means-tested, meaning eligibility for support depends on a person’s financial circumstances. Some people pay for their own care, while councils arrange it for people entitled to state support. Care can include help with washing or getting out of bed, as well as home adaptations.

Researchers find a lack of clear direction

The independent commission, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, requested the research from the Nuffield Trust and the Institute for Government. The researchers found that a lack of clear oversight and direction makes policy change difficult and slow, The Guardian said. The sector has become dominated by private providers in a largely uncontrolled and unintended way, the research found.

Casey separately told the BBC that she criticized successive governments for being “asleep at the wheel” on adult social care. The researchers warned politicians against disruptive structural changes without a clear purpose or political determination. They also warned that structural reorganization alone would not deliver reform without political commitment, resources, time and sustained government attention.

What comes next

The previous government established the commission, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham accelerated its completion by 12 months. His proposal for a care service follows Scotland’s approach of free personal care, with individuals still paying for bed and board; he has proposed funding investment with savings from scrapping the state pension triple lock, starting in the next parliament.

The commission’s public panel is scheduled to meet between November 2026 and April 2027 to consider questions including who should receive care and who should pay. Casey’s final recommendations for older people and adults with disabilities, including care-home services, are due in summer 2027.