Written by Rick Gregory, Editorial Lead · Legal information checked in collaboration with Edward & Amaury Solicitors (SRA 800525) · September 2026 · ~4 min read
Quick Summary
- UK law recognises that care provided by family members or friends has a genuine financial value, even where no money has actually changed hands
- This applies to practical help with daily tasks — washing, dressing, cooking, mobility, household tasks — that you needed because of your injury
- The value is typically assessed using commercial care rates as a guide, then adjusted to reflect that informal, family-provided care isn't identical to professional care
- Keeping a simple record of what help was needed, from whom, and roughly how often, makes this part of your claim much easier to evidence
Can I really claim for help a family member gave me for free?
Yes. UK law recognises that if your injury meant you needed help with everyday tasks — washing, dressing, cooking, getting around, household chores — and a partner, relative, or friend provided that help, it has a genuine financial value as part of your claim. This is true even though no money actually changed hands between you and the person who helped you.
The principle is straightforward: if you'd had to pay a professional carer to do the same tasks, that would clearly be a claimable cost. The law treats unpaid care from someone close to you the same way in substance, recognising the real value of what was provided.
What kind of care counts?
- Help with washing, dressing, and personal care
- Preparing meals or helping with eating
- Help with mobility, including getting in and out of bed or around the home
- Household tasks you could no longer manage — cleaning, laundry, shopping
- Emotional support and supervision, in cases involving more serious injuries
- Transport to medical appointments
How is the value calculated?
Care claims are typically assessed by reference to commercial care agency rates for similar tasks, then adjusted — usually reduced — to reflect that informal care from a family member isn't identical to paid professional care in terms of formality and continuity. The exact approach depends on the extent and duration of care needed, and is something your solicitor will calculate properly using recognised methods, not simply an estimate.
Does the person who helped me need to have given up work to do it?
Not necessarily, though if they did reduce their working hours or take time off specifically to care for you, that's also relevant and can increase the value of this part of your claim — reflecting both the care provided and the carer's own lost income.
What if the care was only needed for a short period?
Even relatively short periods of genuine care — a few weeks while you recovered from a moderate injury — can be claimed. It doesn't need to be long-term or extensive to have a claimable value; it simply needs to reflect a genuine need created by your injury.
What evidence helps with this part of a claim?
- A simple record of what help was needed, from whom, and roughly how often — even a basic diary kept during your recovery is useful
- Medical evidence confirming the injury and the level of incapacity that made the care necessary
- A statement from the person who provided the care, describing what they did
You don't need to have kept perfect records from day one — your solicitor can help reconstruct a reasonable account of the care provided, based on your recollection and the nature of your injury.
Can I claim for future care needs too?
Yes, where your injury is expected to require ongoing care going forward. This is assessed alongside your medical prognosis and, for more serious injuries, may involve expert evidence on your likely future care needs.
Frequently asked questions
Does the family member who cared for me receive the money directly?
No — this element forms part of your compensation, paid to you. What you do with it, including any arrangement to recognise the person who helped you, is a personal matter between you.
What if more than one person helped me at different times?
That's fine — your solicitor can account for care provided by more than one person across your recovery.
Is there a minimum amount of care needed before this is worth claiming?
Even modest, short-term care can have a genuine claimable value — it's worth mentioning to your solicitor regardless of how significant it felt at the time.
Had help from family during your recovery?
A specialist solicitor can properly value the care you received as part of your claim.
Or call 01228 272395 to speak to Edward & Amaury Solicitors (SRA number: 800525). No upfront cost and nothing to pay if your claim does not succeed.