NHS Continuing Healthcare Statistics: Eligibility in Numbers

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of care arranged and funded by the NHS for adults with a primary health need, and it is free at the point of use rather than means-tested. The figures below are drawn from NHS England's quarterly official statistics for England and are current as at the periods stated.

NHS England publishes CHC activity every quarter. The most recent report with full narrative figures at the time of writing covers Q3 2025-26 (1 October to 31 December 2025), first published on 12 February 2026 (NHS England, NHS CHC and NHS-funded Nursing Care). These are official statistics and can be revised, so treat every number here as the position at its stated reference period and subject to change. This page explains what the data shows; it is general information, not advice about any individual claim.

Key figures at a glance

Across England, 50,753 people were eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare at the end of Q3 2025-26, while 46,628 new referrals were made and 30,379 people were assessed as eligible during that single quarter (NHS England, Q3 2025-26, published February 2026). The table sets out the headline measures, each with its reference period and source.

All rows: NHS England, NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care, Q3 2025-26 Report, England, published February 2026. Official statistics, subject to revision.

Referrals and assessments in a quarter

In a single quarter, the volume of activity is large. There were 46,628 new CHC referrals in Q3 2025-26, of which 16,852 went through the standard assessment and 29,776 through Fast Track. Of the people assessed, 41,012 in total, some 30,379 were assessed as eligible (NHS England, Q3 2025-26). These are official statistics for England and are subject to revision.

The split between the two routes tells most of the story. On the standard route, 13,118 people were assessed and 2,485 were found eligible in the quarter, while on Fast Track 27,894 were assessed and all 27,894 were found eligible (NHS England, Q3 2025-26). A further 10,633 people were assessed as not eligible for standard NHS CHC in the same quarter, though many of those may qualify for NHS-funded Nursing Care or a jointly funded package instead.

Waiting times: the 28-day standard

Of 17,087 standard NHS CHC referrals completed in Q3 2025-26, some 13,123, or 77%, were completed within 28 calendar days (NHS England, Q3 2025-26). At the snapshot date of 31 December 2025, a further 1,192 standard referrals were still incomplete beyond 28 days, of which 56 had been outstanding for more than 26 weeks. These are official statistics and are subject to revision.

The 28-day expectation reflects the National Framework's aim that eligibility decisions should not drift. Where an ICB does not decide within 28 days of a positive checklist, its policies on backdating any funding can become relevant, which is one reason families sometimes keep their own dated records.

NHS-funded Nursing Care in numbers

NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC) is a flat-rate NHS contribution towards nursing provided in a care home, and it sits below CHC. At 31 December 2025, 79,979 people were eligible for FNC in England, with 112,765 cases recorded as eligible year to date across the first three quarters of 2025-26 (NHS England, Q3 2025-26). Everyone should be considered for CHC before an FNC decision is reached, according to the National Framework. Figures are official statistics and subject to revision.

How CHC differs from means-tested care

Unlike local authority social care, NHS Continuing Healthcare is not means-tested, so a person's savings and property are not taken into account when CHC is awarded. By contrast, local authority help with care is means-tested, and in England for 2026 to 2027 a person with capital above the upper limit of £23,250 is generally expected to meet the full cost of their care, with a lower limit of £14,250 below which most capital is disregarded (gov.uk, charging for care 2026 to 2027, as at July 2026, subject to change).

This difference is why CHC matters so much for families weighing later-life care costs. It also explains a common misunderstanding. Deliberately giving away or reducing assets to influence a future means test can be treated by a local authority as deliberate deprivation of assets and challenged, and CHC itself cannot be planned for because it turns on a clinical assessment rather than finances. For that reason, considered NHS continuing healthcare claims and care fees planning are generally about understanding the rules and limiting or mitigating the impact of care fees within them, rather than avoiding charges, and many people choose to discuss the position with a suitably qualified professional.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

These statistics cover England only. NHS England collects and publishes the CHC and FNC data set for Integrated Care Board areas in England (NHS England, Q3 2025-26). Scotland operates its own arrangements, including Hospital Based Complex Clinical Care rather than an identical CHC scheme, and Northern Ireland has a separate continuing healthcare system. Figures and eligibility routes differ between the UK nations, so comparisons across borders should be made with care.

Sources and methodology

Every figure on this page comes from NHS England's official statistics, verified against the published report. NHS CHC data is collected quarterly from Integrated Care Board Sub Locations; in Q3 2025-26 all 106 ICB Sub Locations contributed, so no missing-data adjustment was required (NHS England, Q3 2025-26). The figures are official statistics assured under the UK Statistics Authority Code of Practice and can be revised in later releases.

• NHS England, NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care, Q3 2025-26 Report, England, first published 12 February 2026. Reference period: snapshot at 31 December 2025; in-quarter 1 October to 31 December 2025; year to date from 1 April 2025. england.nhs.uk/statistics
• NHS England statistics calendar and revisions policy, for publication dates and data-revision rules. england.nhs.uk/statistics
• gov.uk, National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care, for definitions of primary health need, standard CHC, Fast Track and FNC. gov.uk National Framework
• gov.uk, Social care charging for local authorities 2026 to 2027, for the means-test capital limits used for context (£23,250 upper and £14,250 lower, as at July 2026, subject to change). gov.uk charging circular

Note: from 14 May 2026 NHS England discontinued the standalone CHC statistical release and report PDFs, while continuing to publish the underlying data quarterly as management information. Later quarters may be available; the figures above reflect the Q3 2025-26 report and are subject to revision.

Frequently asked questions