NHS Continuing Healthcare in Sheffield: Who Qualifies?
By CareFinder Team · Published 2025-11-13 · Last reviewed 2026-09-18
NHS Continuing Healthcare is free, NHS-funded care for adults whose needs are mainly health needs. In Sheffield it is arranged by NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board using the national framework for England. Eligibility depends on the nature, intensity, complexity and unpredictability of needs, not on a diagnosis or on money, and starts with a checklist.
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of care arranged and paid for entirely by the NHS for adults whose needs are mainly health needs. If your relative qualifies, the NHS pays for their care in full, at home or in a care home, whatever their savings or income.
In Sheffield, CHC is arranged by NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), using the same national rules as the rest of England. This guide explains how to get an assessment and what to do if you disagree with the decision.
Who is eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare?
Eligibility depends on your relative's needs, not on a diagnosis. According to the NHS guide to Continuing Healthcare, the question is whether they have a "primary health need": whether their needs, taken as a whole, are mainly health needs rather than social care needs.
Assessors look at the:
- nature of the needs: what they are and how they affect the person
- intensity: how severe they are and how much support is needed
- complexity: how different needs interact and how hard they are to manage
- unpredictability: how much they change and how risky that is
The rules are set by the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care.
How does the assessment work?
Step 1: The checklist
Most people start with a screening tool called the CHC Checklist, usually completed by a nurse, doctor or social worker, for example before hospital discharge or when needs increase. A positive checklist does not mean your relative is eligible; it means they should have a full assessment.
Step 2: Full assessment
A multidisciplinary team of at least two professionals from different disciplines assesses your relative using the Decision Support Tool. It covers 12 areas of need, including breathing, nutrition, continence, skin, mobility, communication, psychological needs, cognition, behaviour, drug therapies and altered states of consciousness.
Each area is rated from no needs up to priority. The NHS says someone with at least one priority need, or severe needs in at least two areas, can usually expect to be eligible, but the team looks at the whole picture.
Step 3: The decision
The ICB makes the decision. The NHS says this should normally be within 28 days of the checklist.
The fast track route
If your relative is rapidly deteriorating and may be approaching the end of life, a clinician can complete a Fast Track Pathway Tool. This lets a care package be put in place quickly, without the full assessment.
Can families take part in the assessment?
Yes, and you should. Your relative must be asked to consent to the assessment if they have capacity. Families can attend, give information and challenge anything that seems wrong.
Tips:
- Keep a diary of needs for a few weeks: falls, night-time disturbance, behaviour, choking, pain, skin problems.
- Collect recent records from the GP, hospital or care home.
- Ask for the domains to be scored at the meeting and note the reasons.
- Ask for a copy of the completed Decision Support Tool.
Free independent advice is available from Beacon, which the NHS website lists as a source of help with CHC.
What happens if my relative is eligible?
The ICB arranges and funds the care package. If your relative lives in a care home, the NHS pays the full fee. If they live at home, the NHS pays for the care they need, and a personal health budget may be possible.
Eligibility is reviewed at 3 months and then at least annually, because needs can change.
What if my relative is not eligible?
If your relative lives in a nursing home and needs care from a registered nurse, they may get NHS-funded nursing care, paid directly to the home. In England the standard rate from 1 April 2026 is £267.68 a week.
Other care is means-tested by the council. Sheffield City Council carries out financial assessments under its Fairer Contributions Policy. In England, people with capital over the upper limit (£23,250 in 2026/27) usually pay the full cost of their care.
How do you challenge a CHC decision?
If you disagree with the outcome, you can ask for it to be reviewed:
- Local resolution: ask NHS South Yorkshire ICB to review the decision. Explain which domains you think were scored wrongly and why.
- Independent review panel: if you still disagree, ask NHS England for an independent review.
- Ombudsman: if you are unhappy with how the process was handled, you can go to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Time limits apply at each stage, so check the decision letter and act promptly. The Sheffield CHC team can be reached through the South Yorkshire ICB contact page.
This article is general information. For complex cases, consider free advice from Beacon, Age UK Sheffield or a solicitor experienced in CHC.
Frequently asked questions
Does my relative need a particular illness to get CHC?
No. Eligibility depends on the type and level of needs, not on a diagnosis. People with the same condition can have very different needs, so each person is assessed individually.
Is CHC means-tested?
No. If your relative is eligible, the NHS pays for their assessed care whatever their savings, income or property. The means test only applies to council-funded social care.
How long does a CHC decision take?
The NHS says a decision should normally be made within 28 days of the checklist. The fast track route for people near the end of life is much quicker.
Can CHC be taken away?
Yes. Eligibility is reviewed at 3 months and then at least every year. If needs reduce, funding can end, and you can challenge that decision in the same way.
Who arranges CHC in Sheffield?
NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, which took over from the former Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group in 2022. Ask the GP, hospital ward or social worker for a checklist, or contact the ICB's Sheffield CHC team.
Key takeaways
- CHC is full NHS funding for people with a primary health need, not means-tested.
- In Sheffield it is arranged by NHS South Yorkshire ICB under national rules.
- It starts with a checklist, then a full multidisciplinary assessment.
- Families can take part, provide evidence and ask for copies.
- If not eligible, NHS-funded nursing care may still apply in a nursing home.
- Decisions can be challenged through the ICB, NHS England and the ombudsman.