The short answer
- Council help: start with a free care needs assessment from the council where your loved one lives.
- Savings over £23,250: you'll usually pay the full cost of care yourself.
- Care at home: the council doesn't count the value of the home in its means test.
- Costs: live-in care with us from £1,095 a week; nursing homes in Berkshire cost from £1,900 a week.
- Carers: free local support for family carers, listed below.
Berkshire has no county council, so the first thing to check is which of the six local councils covers your loved one's address. The NHS is split too: Reading, West Berkshire and Wokingham have one Continuing Healthcare team, and Bracknell Forest, Slough, and Windsor and Maidenhead have another.
Who do you contact for council help in Berkshire?
Berkshire has no county council. Adult social care is run by six separate councils, so who you contact depends on where your loved one lives.
| Council | Adult social care contact | Deferred payments |
|---|---|---|
| Bracknell Forest Council | 01344 351500 or adult.socialcare@bracknell-forest.gov.uk | Yes |
| Reading Borough Council | 0118 937 3747 | Yes |
| Slough Borough Council | 01753 475111 (option 1) | Yes |
| West Berkshire Council | Adult Social Care contact centre, 01635 503050 | Yes |
| Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead | Front Door Social Work Team, 01628 683744 (option 5) | Yes |
| Wokingham Borough Council | 0300 365 1234 | Yes |
Ask for a care needs assessment. It's free, and anyone who appears to need care and support can have one, whatever their savings. If the council agrees your loved one has eligible needs, it then does a financial assessment to work out what they pay.
What does care cost in Berkshire?
| Type of care | Weekly cost |
|---|---|
| Live-in care with Homestay Carers | from £1,095 for one person, from £1,445 for a couple who both need care (from £1,260 if only one of you does) |
| Fully managed live-in agency | typically from £1,675 |
| Nursing home in Berkshire | from £1,900 per person |
Compare costs for your situation.
Will the council help pay?
In England, for 2026 to 2027, if your loved one's savings and other capital are over £23,250, they'll usually pay the full cost of their care. Between £14,250 and £23,250, the council contributes and they pay part. Below £14,250, that capital is ignored, though they'll still pay something from their income.
Will we have to sell the house?
Not for care at home: the value of the home your loved one lives in isn't counted. In a care home it usually is, after the first 12 weeks, unless a partner or certain relatives still live there. All of these councils offer deferred payment agreements, which let the council pay care home fees and recover the money from the house later. Will we have to sell the house to pay for care?
What else should you check?
- Attendance Allowance: a benefit for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care. It isn't means-tested.
- NHS Continuing Healthcare: if your loved one's needs are mainly health needs, the NHS may pay the full cost of their care. In Berkshire, it's assessed by NHS Thames Valley: 0118 982 2900 for Reading, West Berkshire and Wokingham, or 0300 304 9200 for Bracknell Forest, Slough, and Windsor and Maidenhead.
- How to pay for live-in care, for both of these in more detail.
Where can family carers get support in Berkshire?
If you help a loved one with their care, you can ask the council for a free carer's assessment of your own needs. These local organisations offer free advice and support:
- Signal for Carers (Bracknell Forest), 01344 266088: carers' support in Bracknell Forest
- Reading and West Berkshire Carers Hub: Age UK Berkshire, 0118 959 4242, for carers aged over 50; CommuniCare, 0118 926 3941, for other adult carers
- Wokingham Carers Partnership: Age UK Berkshire, 0118 959 4242, for adult carers in Wokingham
- Slough Carers Support, 01753 303428: run by Slough Borough Council
- Windsor and Maidenhead Carers Hub, 01628 683744: run by the Royal Borough's front door team
Free, independent advice
- Age UK Berkshire, 0118 959 4242
- Age UK Reading, 0118 950 2480
- Age UK Advice Line: 0800 678 1602, free, 8am to 7pm, every day
This guide covers England. It's general information, not financial or legal advice. Council contacts and charges change, so check with the council before relying on them.
Sources
- Websites of Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham councils: adult social care and deferred payments
- Carers Partnership (Reading, West Berkshire and Wokingham)
- DHSC: Social care charging for care and support 2026 to 2027
