How much does a live-in carer cost?

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Key takeaways 

The cost of live-in care will depend on the level of care your loved one needs and also where you live in the UK. This article looks at:

• Live-in carer costs per day and per week
• Funding available to help with the cost of live-in care
• Live-in carer benefits

If both you and your loved one want them to remain in the comfort of their own home, in a familiar environment, while receiving the additional support they need, a live-in carer is an ideal way to ensure this happens.

The fully trained carer will live at home with them, allowing them to maintain independence, get dedicated care support, and most importantly, stay in their own home. 

In fact, there are a number of benefits to live-in care, including: 

One-to-one care

Your loved one can receive personal one-to-one support from their own carer, receiving their full attention.

Personalised support

Live-in carers can offer a personalised care plan that ensures your loved one gets the right amount of assistance for their needs and wishes.

A holistic approach

Live-in care means your loved one will be supported in all aspects of their life, and your family’s needs will be considered too.

Maintain routines and hobbies

Whether going out for a drive, playing board games, going to the theatre or out for a wander, having a live-in carer means a person can continue enjoying their favourite hobbies and routine.

Spend more time with loved ones

If you would like to spend more time with friends and family, a live-in carer can support this, whether in your own home or at a loved one’s home.

But how much does a live-in carer cost?

The cost of a live-in carer

Live-in care providers dedicate their skills to understanding the specific care needs of their clients, and are keen to learn about individual preferences, requirements and routines so they can offer a custom care solution. This means that live-in care is a personalised service with minimal disruption to everyday life.

With respect to the cost of live-in care, the right live-in care package – and its cost – will depend on the needs of your relative.

How much does a live-in carer cost per day?

Typically, the live-in carer cost UK is between £140 and £200 a day. The exact 24-hour live-in care cost will depend on factors like underlying health issues and level of care needed, so the average live-in carer cost will.

How much does a live-in carer cost per week?

Depending on the complexity of care needed and where you live within the UK, live-in care can cost between £650 and £1,600 a week. However, some care at home providers may charge more than this.

The UK Care Guide gathered data from over 100 respite care service providers, and found the average cost to have live-in care coverage through the week was £700-£800 per week.

How much does a live-in carer cost for couples?

If a couple – or two individuals within the same household – both require live-in care, the live-in home health care costs may be more cost effective than average care home fees where both residents will likely pay full rates. 

On average, the live-in care cost for a couple with non-complex needs will likely be between £1,300-1,400 a week – although some agencies may charge much higher.

24-hour live-in care cost

If the person receiving live-in care has greater needs, and requires round the clock supervision by two or more live-in or night time carers, 24-hour care costs will be more expensive, with the most expensive ranging from £2,000 per if two full-time live-in carers are required.

Live-in dementia care costs shouldn’t be materially different unless your loved one requires the input of specially trained carers.

Live-in care is not the same as 24-hour care. A live-in carer will sleep when you sleep, while 24-hour care involves a carer staying awake in your home while you sleep to assist you when needed. So, if you wake up more than twice a night, 24-hour care may be a better solution than live-in care.

Is live-in care cheaper than a care home?

If a care home is a council-funded home, it may cost slightly less on a weekly basis than the cost of a live-in carer, but more expensive care homes can cost £2000 a week. 

However, live-in care can cost an average of £700-800 a week (£1,600 or more for a more expensive agency), with your loved one receiving dedicated care.

Is funding available for live-in care?

If your loved one receiving care has assets of less than £23,250, they may be eligible for support from their local authority for funding for the cost of live-in care. 

Similarly, the amount of funding you receive for care and the specific cost for the care will change significantly depending on the country you live in and your specific circumstances.

The first step is to ask for a care needs assessment from the adult social services department of your local council, authority or trust.

A care needs assessment is free and can be carried out online, over the telephone, or face to face. The results will include recommendations about whether care is needed, and if so, what type of care.

NHS Continuing Healthcare can also fund live-in care costs if you are eligible. Although the funding assessment can be stressful and lengthy, Continuing Healthcare has more budget available for care than councils in many cases.

Other costs to consider with live-in care

A private room

A live-in carer will need their own private room to relax, have some alone time and sleep in. 

If you have a guest bedroom, that would be ideal, but a living room, dining room or study can all be repurposed if necessary for both short- and long-term live-in carers.

However, if your loved one has mobility issues, having a live-in carer at home could offer an opportunity to suggest moving to a more accessible ground-floor room for their comfort, which frees an upstairs space for the carer.

It is worth pointing out that a live-in carer will require a 2-hour break during their shift, so it is important that the individual requiring care can potentially be left on their own for this time period. If it isn’t possible, then extra cover might need to be arranged for those 2 hours.

Similarly, there are limits as to how often a carer can be woken up during the night, as they will need to be working the next day, so if your loved one requires regular attention during the night, then maybe live-in care is not right for you.

Home from home

Aside from a carer having their own private room, it’s important that their space is warm, clean and ventilated. 

They will need things like storage space, fresh bed linen, sockets for their electronics and other amenities like a bed-side light.

Miscellaneous

If the carer has a car and uses it for day-trips, there may be contributions for petrol costs needed. Similarly, additional duties like food and travel costs can affect live-in care costs.

Insurance cover

Let your home insurers know that you now employ a professional live-in carer; just in case this affects your home insurance policy. 

Similarly, if your carer will be using the household’s car to run errands or chauffeur your loved one around, you must add them as a named driver onto your car insurance policy.

Multimedia

If you have internet already, it may be worth checking if your internet is strong enough to accommodate an extra inhabitant – this way everyone has good service.

It may also be a good idea to provide a TV in their room too, enabling them to unwind in their own space when possible.

If you are looking for the right live-in care agency for your loved one, you can speak with one of our friendly Care Concierge team members who will be happy to help you on your search.

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