Reablement and Free Care After Hospital: What the NHS Covers

After a hospital stay, you may be offered reablement: short-term care that helps you recover and regain independence. The NHS says it is free care, provided for as long as you need it, and usually for a maximum of 6 weeks. How long depends on your needs, your circumstances and your progress towards your goals.

What reablement is

The NHS describes reablement as short-term care that may include exercises to restore movement and function, and help to return to daily activities like cooking and washing. The aim is to get you back to doing things for yourself, not to take over.

How to get it

After a hospital stay, staff will assess whether you need it and arrange care. If you need help after a fall or illness at home, the NHS says to speak to your GP surgery or local council about intermediate care, or contact NHS 111 if you need help straight away.

Leaving hospital: discharge to assess

Age UK explains that many hospitals now use a discharge to assess, or home first, approach, so there is no longer a requirement to carry out a care needs assessment before you leave hospital. It also says you should not be sent home until staff have assessed your immediate needs, and that if the support services are not suitable, you can contact social services to ask for a review of your care plan.

When the free care ends

Age UK says intermediate care or reablement normally lasts no longer than 6 weeks, and can be as little as one or two weeks if you reach your goals sooner. If you still need support after that, you can ask your council for a care needs assessment, or arrange care privately. Our guide to care needs assessments explains how, and our page on paying for care covers the options.

How we can help at home

Some families arrange private care to start as soon as their loved one comes home, or to carry on after reablement finishes. Our carers can help with personal care, medication reminders, meals and shopping as you recover, with visits from 30 minutes. Start with a free assessment, and you can read more about our domiciliary care.

Frequently Asked Questions