Looking for home care costs in your area?
If you live in England 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 England?
Charged on an hourly basis, the cost of care at home in England tends to be more affordable than the fees for living in a care home.
The NHS says a typical hourly rate for care at home is £20 per hour, but pricing will vary by location and requirements.
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.
Questions about funding care?
Call us for your free consultation with one of our friendly UK care experts. If you need further support, our Care Concierge service is on hand to provide guidance on typical care costs, help you explore your funding and benefit options, or even negotiate care fees on your behalf.
Find out how Care Concierge can help you, or call now on freephone:
(Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
Live-in home care (when a trained carer lives in the home of the person needing care) can start 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 care at home in England with the cost of a care home? We can help — click here to learn more about care home fees in England.
Local authority funding for care in your own home
When thinking about paying for care at home, you should check if you qualify for funding. This starts by arranging a care needs assessment through your local authority. The assessment evaluates your daily support requirements. It’s designed to reveal whether your needs can be accommodated at home.
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 authority funding.
Once an at-home care plan has been agreed, the local authority will then arrange a means testing assessment to determine if you qualify for funding. When applying for care at home funding, the means test excludes your home’s value. This differs from the means assessment used for residential care homes: in this case, home value is considered.
If you’ve reached the stage where you’re thinking about paying for care at home, you may also benefit from advice on how to broach the subject of care.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to employ care at home in England?
The NHS says a typical hourly rate for care at home in England is £20 per hour, but pricing will vary by location and requirements. This works out to £14,500 per year, based on 14 hours of care per week.
Can I claim local authority funding for care at home in England?
To check what funding you qualify for, you need to contact your local authority for a care needs assessment. Once a care at home plan has been agreed, the local authority will then arrange a means testing assessment to determine if you qualify for funding. When applying for care at home funding, the means test excludes your home’s value.
Find care at home costs in your area
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. Read more about the different care types that are available.
Care Sourcer shows you details of all types of social care services, including prices, in a searchable online directory of local care agencies.
Questions about funding care?
Call us for your free consultation with one of our friendly UK care experts. If you need further support, our Care Concierge service is on hand to provide guidance on typical care costs, help you explore your funding and benefit options, or even negotiate care fees on your behalf. Find out how Care Concierge can help you, or call us now on freephone:
0800 098 8299 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
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