Durham County Council

Adult social care contact details, funding information, and care home listings for County Durham.

Arranging adult social care in County Durham

Durham County Council is the unitary authority for County Durham in the North East of England, covering a wide mix of city, market town and former coalfield communities including Durham, Darlington, Chester-le-Street, Consett, Stanley, Spennymoor and Bishop Auckland. Because it is a unitary authority, the council is responsible for all adult social care across this large geography, from the Wear valley through to the pit villages and the Pennine fringe.

If you are starting to think about care for yourself or a relative in County Durham, the first step is to contact Durham County Council's adult social care team and request a needs assessment. This assessment is free, regardless of income or savings, and looks at daily living, mobility, safety at home and the support a carer may already be providing. If the assessment identifies eligible needs, the council will then carry out a financial assessment to work out how much, if anything, you contribute towards the cost of your care.

Local care choices and typical fees

The local care market in County Durham is broad, with providers working across the market towns and the more rural former mining communities. Families can usually consider a mix of home care to stay independent at home, residential care homes for personal support with daily living, and nursing homes where a registered nurse is needed on site. Typical weekly fees in the area are around £180 to £250 for home care, £750 to £950 for residential care homes and £950 to £1,300 for nursing homes, though costs vary by provider and level of need.

Funding can come from several routes: full local authority funding, a means tested contribution from Durham County Council, NHS Continuing Healthcare where needs are primarily health related, NHS funded nursing care contributions in nursing homes, direct payments, or self funding. National capital thresholds apply when deciding who pays.

Taking that first call to the council, and having an honest conversation about what is manageable at home, is often the most useful starting point for families across County Durham.