NHS Funded Nursing Care
NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC) is a weekly payment of £219.71 from the NHS made directly to nursing homes to cover the cost of registered nursing care. It is not means-tested — savings and income are irrelevant, and almost everyone in a nursing home in England qualifies. Many families never claim it.
Last updated: March 2026
If someone you care about is in a nursing home (or about to move into one), there's a good chance they're entitled to money from the NHS that goes towards the cost - and a surprising number of families don't know about it.
It's called NHS Funded Nursing Care, often shortened to FNC. It's not the same as NHS Continuing Healthcare (that's a separate, bigger thing), but FNC can knock a meaningful chunk off the weekly bill, and practically everyone in a nursing home qualifies.
What Is It?
NHS Funded Nursing Care is a weekly payment made by the NHS directly to the nursing home to cover the cost of care provided by registered nurses.
The logic is simple: nursing care is healthcare, and healthcare in the UK is free at the point of use. So even if someone is paying for their own residential and personal care costs, the NHS covers the nursing bit.
Current rate
£219.71
per week (over £11,400 a year)
The money goes straight to the nursing home. It doesn't land in your bank account, but it does reduce what you (or the council) have to pay.
Who Qualifies?
Pretty much anyone living in a nursing home in England who has been assessed as needing nursing care. It's not means-tested - your savings, property, and income are irrelevant.
The only people who don't get it are:
- People in residential care homes (no nursing registration)
- People who qualify for full NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC pays for everything already)
- People in homes that aren't registered to provide nursing care
If you're in a nursing home and you're not receiving FNC, something has gone wrong with the process. Ask the home or your local ICB (Integrated Care Board).
FNC vs NHS Continuing Healthcare
This trips people up constantly, so let's be clear:
NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC)
- • Flat £219.71/week payment
- • Covers nursing element only
- • Almost everyone in a nursing home gets it
- • Not means-tested
- • Doesn't cover full cost of home
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)
- • NHS pays entire care home cost
- • No means test, no personal contribution
- • Only for complex health needs
- • Difficult to qualify for
- • Many people turned down
Think of it this way: FNC is the baseline that most nursing home residents get. CHC is the full package that only people with the most complex health needs qualify for.
How to Get It
Step 1: Be in a Nursing Home
FNC only applies to care homes registered to provide nursing care. If someone is in a residential care home (no nurses on site), FNC doesn't apply. Check the home's CQC registration if you're not sure.
Step 2: Get Assessed
The local ICB arranges a nursing needs assessment. This should happen automatically when someone moves into a nursing home. If it hasn't, chase it up with the home's manager or contact the ICB directly.
Step 3: FNC Is Applied to the Bill
Once approved, the NHS pays £219.71 per week directly to the nursing home. If you're self-funding, the home should reduce your bill by that amount. FNC should be backdated to when the person moved in.
What If Someone's Not Getting FNC?
This happens more often than it should. If you think someone is entitled but isn't receiving it:
- 1Ask the nursing home. They should know whether FNC is being paid.
- 2Contact the ICB. Find the local Integrated Care Board for the area where the home is located.
- 3Request a review. If FNC was assessed and turned down (rare), you can request a review.
- 4Check for backdating. Payments should be backdated to when the person moved in.
Should You Push for Full CHC Instead?
If the person has significant, complex health needs, it's worth requesting a CHC assessment. The difference is enormous: FNC saves you £219 a week. CHC saves you the entire bill.
Signs that someone might qualify for CHC:
- Unpredictable or rapidly changing health needs
- Significant complexity requiring specialist clinical input
- Nursing interventions needed throughout day and night
- Severely challenging behaviour due to cognitive impairment
- Receiving palliative or end-of-life care
- Multiple interacting conditions requiring constant clinical management
A lot of families get turned down on the first attempt. If you disagree, there's a formal appeals process. The amounts involved make it worth pursuing.
Common Questions
Does FNC affect other benefits?
No. FNC goes to the nursing home, not to the person. It doesn't affect Attendance Allowance, pension, or any other benefits.
Does FNC apply to dementia?
Yes, if the person is in a nursing home. Having dementia doesn't automatically mean nursing care is needed, but if they're in a nursing home, FNC applies.
Is FNC taxable?
No.
The Takeaway
If someone is in a nursing home, they should be receiving FNC. It's not a huge amount in the context of nursing home fees, but over a few years it adds up to tens of thousands of pounds.
Make sure it's in place, make sure it's being deducted from the bill, and if the person's needs are complex, push for a CHC assessment as well.
Too many families pay more than they need to because nobody told them this existed. Now you know.