How to get deferred payments and what you'll need to pay
What the costs are and how to get deferred payments, how much interest you'll pay and how to add 'top ups' to your deferred payment.
Apply for an Adult Social Care assessment
Before you can apply for Deferred Payments, you must apply for an Adult Social Care assessment for yourself or someone else.
What you'll need to pay when you start deferred payments
We charge a one-off fee of £678 to cover costs, including the Land Registry charge and general administration.
Before agreeing to your deferred payment, we'll try to get an estimated valuation of your property based on similar properties that have been sold recently or are on the market currently. If a valuation is not available or you do not agree with our valuation, then you may need to get an independent valuation at your own expense.
How much interest you'll pay
The loan will have interest charged on it in the same way a normal loan would be charged on money borrowed from a bank.
The maximum interest rate that will be charged is fixed by the government.
Currently, the maximum rate to be charged is based on the cost of government borrowing. It will change on 1 January and 1 July every year.
The current interest rate, as of 1 January 2026, is 4.75%. This interest will be compounded on a 4-weekly basis.
The interest will apply from the day your deferred payment begins.
Statements showing both the outstanding sum on your deferred payment account and how the interest is being calculated will be sent to you every 6 months.
'Top ups' and the Deferred Payments Scheme
If there is a requirement to pay a ‘top up’ towards your care fees and you decide to take advantage of the Deferred Payments Scheme, then, if we agree that there is enough equity in your home, you can add the value of the ‘top up’ payment to your deferred payment.
The government’s rules say that ‘top ups’ for people not using the Deferred Payments Scheme currently have to be paid for by somebody else – for example, a member of their family – so a deferred payment is the only way of paying the top up yourself without depending on a third party.
However, during any 12-week property disregard period, the resident may choose to top up the care home fees from their own financial resources, and this will be dependent on their individual financial circumstances
You should take independent financial and legal advice to help you decide which course of action will be financially better for you.
Your other financial options
You should get independent financial and legal advice to find out what other options will be financially better for you.