VA help paying for care: pension, Aid and Attendance and caregiver programs

VA helps with the cost of care in three separate ways: a pension with Aid and Attendance or Housebound for wartime Veterans and survivors with limited income, VA health care services such as home-based primary care and respite, and support for family caregivers. They have different rules, so a Veteran may qualify for one and not another.

Carevo does not decide eligibility. VA does. This page explains the programs and links to the detailed guides.

VA pension with Aid and Attendance

Veterans Pension is a tax-free monthly benefit for wartime Veterans who meet age or disability requirements and whose income and net worth fall within limits set by Congress. Aid and Attendance and Housebound are extra monthly amounts added to a VA pension. VA.gov says you cannot receive both at once, and you cannot receive either without a pension.

Aid and Attendance can apply if you need another person to help with daily activities like bathing, feeding and dressing, if you must stay in bed or spend much of the day in bed because of illness, if you are in a nursing home because of lost mental or physical abilities, or if your eyesight is severely limited. Housebound applies if you spend most of your time at home because of a permanent disability.

The payment is the gap between a maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) and your income for VA purposes. In 2026, with rates effective December 1, 2025:

Household	Basic	Housebound	Aid and Attendance
Veteran, no dependents	$17,441	$21,313	$29,093
Veteran with one dependent	$22,839	$26,710	$34,488

These are maximums a year, not what every person receives. The net worth limit is $163,699. Read more on VA Aid and Attendance and VA pension, or try the Aid and Attendance calculator.

VA long-term care services

VA.gov says you generally need to be enrolled in VA health care, VA must decide you need the service, and it must be available near you. Some services have a copay. The home-based options include:

• Home-based primary care. A VA team led by a VA doctor provides nursing, physical therapy and help with daily tasks at home.
• Homemaker or home health aide. A trained caregiver, supervised by a registered nurse, comes into your home to help you care for yourself.
• Adult day health care. A daytime program with social activities, recreation, care and support. See adult day care.
• Respite care. Covered under VA health benefits. Someone stays with the Veteran at home, or the Veteran attends a program outside the home, while the family caregiver takes a break. See respite care.

For nursing home care, VA.gov says whether benefits help pay depends on your income and the level of your service-connected disability. VA runs Community Living Centers, contracts with community nursing homes and recognizes State Veterans Homes. Browse nursing homes.

VA does not run or pay for community residential care such as medical foster homes, adult family homes and assisted living, though it inspects and approves each one. VA benefits may help pay for extra services there.

VA community care

Community care is care delivered outside VA when VA cannot provide it directly. VA says it can include services such as home health and hospice care. Eligibility depends on the program. Ask your VA health care team whether community care applies to you. See home health care and hospice.

Help for family caregivers

The VA Caregiver Support Program has two programs:

• Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS). Skills training, coaching, peer support and referrals for caregivers of Veterans enrolled in VA health care from any service era.
• Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). Training, health insurance for caregivers who are otherwise uninsured, mental health counseling, respite and a monthly stipend for the primary family caregiver. The Veteran must be enrolled in VA health care and meet the eligibility criteria, which include a service-connected rating of at least 70%.

Veterans who do not meet every PCAFC requirement are directed to PGCSS. The Caregiver Support Line is 1-855-260-3274. For the family-paid options across programs, see how to get paid to care for a family member.

Questions to ask VA or an accredited representative

• Do I meet the wartime service requirement for pension?
• Which of my care costs will VA count as medical expenses when it works out my income?
• Is my net worth within the limit, and what does VA count?
• Does my VA medical center offer home-based primary care, a homemaker or home health aide, adult day health care or Veteran-Directed Care where I live?
• If my family member is my caregiver, does PCAFC apply, and what would the Veteran's rating need to be?

How to apply and get help

You can apply for VA pension online, by mail, in person or with a trained professional. VA.gov says you can work with an accredited attorney, claims agent or Veterans Service Organization representative.

When you are ready to look at care providers, tell us what you need. Providers do not decide VA eligibility.