Cost of Care at Home in Scotland

Looking for care at home costs in your area? Care Sourcer’s service offers a free searchable directory of local care agencies.

If you live in Scotland then arranging care at home (also known as in-home care, home care, or domiciliary care) can be a cost-effective option.

What is the cost of care at home in Scotland?

The average cost of care at home in Scotland is £16.54 (source: UKHCA Minimum Price for Homecare 2018).

The good news is that care at home costs in Scotland can be funded by the local council, if you’re aged 65 or over and qualify by need.

Your uniquely tailored care package may include care from one or both of these categories:

personal care: qualified care assistants provide support with washing, dressing, dining and socialising
nursing care: registered nurses provide support in the same areas, as well as with specialist medical requirements

Live-in home care (when a trained carer lives in the home of the person needing care) can cost from around £650 per week. For more complex needs, that charge could reach approximately £1,600 per week.

But what if you require 24/7 care at home? Round-the-clock care can easily exceed £150,000 per year, on average. If that’s the case, you may decide that residential care is more cost-effective.

That being the case, you may still be able to pay less for a live-in carer. Some introductory agencies, who connect you with self-employed carers, can cost significantly less.

Are you comparing the cost of in-home care with the cost of a care home? We can help — click here to learn more about care home fees in Scotland.

Local council funding for care in your own home

When thinking about paying care at home costs in Scotland, you should check if you qualify for funding by arranging a care needs assessment through your local council. Everyone in Scotland over the age of 65 is entitled to free personal care if they are assessed as requiring it.

To determine if you qualify for local council funding, a social worker will assess you for:

Personal hygiene
Continence management
Food and diet
Immobility problems
Counselling and support
Simple medical treatments
Personal assistance
Meal preparation support

A social worker will determine whether you need personal care, and whether it can be delivered at home. If you do require a care at home package, you can select your preferred care provider.

Care packages can start very small – it can be as simple as coming around and having a cup of tea and a chat, helping with the shopping, or helping to tidy up.

Don’t forget: you must do the assessment prior to agreeing any at-home care contracts. If you don’t, and proceed to arrange care, you may lose out on local council funding.

If you’ve reached the stage where you’re thinking about care at home, you may also benefit from advice on how to broach the subject of care.

Summary

Do you pay for in-home nursing in Scotland?
People in Scotland, of any age, can access free nursing care, as long as you’ve been assessed as requiring nursing care support – this is generally allocated through your local GP.

Is care at home free in Scotland?
Care at home costs in Scotland can be funded by your local council if you’re aged 65 or over, and you qualify by need.To find out if you qualify you need, contact your local council for a care needs assessment.

How much does home care cost in Scotland?
In Scotland, the average price of care at home is £16.54 (source: UKHCA Minimum Price for Homecare 2018). This works out to £12,000 per year, based on 14 hours of care per week.