Updated Guidance on the Costs of Home Care Across the UK

Families throughout the UK face complex decisions every day about how best to manage the care needs and well-being of loved ones, whether that’s older people who need support to remain independent at home or those living with disabilities and long-term health conditions.

One of the many considerations is around the costs of home care and how these might compare to a residential care home – while appreciating that the vast majority of people prefer to remain in the familiar surroundings and the comfort of their homes wherever possible.

This guide from the home care specialists at Guardian Angel Carers explains some of the indicative average costs of sourcing private home care and the support schemes and mechanisms in place to help.

Understanding the Average Costs of Home-Based Care

There isn’t any standard cost of care, and this could vary depending on where you live. We often speak with families who had assumed there would be a fixed weekly or monthly cost based on the level of care required, but who find that they are left to make multiple choices about the types of care they arrange.

While the government has announced that it will cap the total care charge at £86,000 as a lifetime maximum contribution anybody will be expected to pay towards the costs of their own care, this has now been postponed from October 2023 until October 2025.

The current averages are listed below as a general guide, recognising that every care provider may have different fee calculation systems.

Reference: UK Home Care Association

Of course, a professional home care provider can cater to your care needs and budget, with various options to organise visiting care for a set number of hours or days per week as an alternative to around-the-clock care. You may also find that the types of care services you need will impact the overall cost – particularly for families implementing specialist care.

Home care might involve visits from a qualified carer for two or three mornings per week, for example, overnight care, which can be sleeping or waking care, or more long-term live-in care for a person who needs emotional support, help with personal care or domestic chores most of the time.

Funding Support for At-Home Care Needs

There are several potential ways to access help with home care costs, although the local authority responsible for assessing care needs will apply a threshold. That system means that families or individuals with a higher income or a higher value in savings may be required to self-fund their care or pay a higher proportion of the care costs.

The usual process is for the relevant council to arrange two assessments: a care needs assessment and a financial assessment. These evaluations look at the individual’s health, welfare, and needs, alongside their economic circumstances, to determine what support they may be eligible for.

It’s important to note that if your income and savings, or those of the person requiring care, are above the lower threshold, you can still get some financial support. However, it impacts the percentage of the care costs the council will be prepared to cover.

For the 2024/25 financial period, the government announced in February that the limits would remain static, which means the thresholds are, by country:

These figures illustrate the differences referred to earlier. For example, if you earn or have savings above £23,250 and live in England or Northern Ireland, you will be expected to self-fund home care. However, if you live in Wales, that threshold is £24,000.

A further upcoming reform is that the higher threshold is expected to increase to £100,000 from October 2025, benefiting care recipients in England, although that could potentially be subject to change.

How Much Do Self-Funding Home Care Recipients Have to Contribute?

One of the many complexities is that there is another threshold called the Minimum Income Guarantee. In short, this means that anybody receiving care or support from their local council outside of a residential care home is entitled to a protected income.

That cap is currently based partly on whether the person receiving care lives alone, with a partner, or with other family members and increases each year at the same rate as inflation.

For instance, adults receiving home care who are above pension credit age should have a safeguarded income of £228.70 per week. If they are living as a couple, each person has a Minimum Income Guarantee of £174.60, whereas a parent living with a child has a protected income of £101.25 per week per child.

Accessing Financial Assistance With the Costs of Home Care

Irrespective of your eligibility for local council support, you may qualify for financial help from other sources. One example is the NHS Continuing Healthcare programme, which offers people assistance with covering home care costs based on their long-term health profile, specifically intended for those with complex healthcare needs.

Eligible applicants may find that the NHS will offer to finance all home care costs, although a care needs assessment will apply.

Other people self-funding their care can claim non-means-tested benefits, including the Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment, designed for those above and below the state pension age.

The Attendance Allowance is paid at a higher or lower rate depending on the care and support the individual needs, with 2024/25 rates of £72.65 to £108.55 per week. The Personal Independence Payment is a similar support system, broken down into a standard and enhanced weekly rate and further divided into a mobility and daily living component. Claimants can receive a minimum of £28.70 a week up to a maximum of £184.30 to help cover care costs and other aspects of daily life.

We acknowledge that these thresholds, contribution limits and other factors can be complicated, and we encourage anybody concerned about care costs or unsure how to find the right support to contact their nearest Guardian Angel Carers office or local authority to ask for guidance.

The key takeaway is that home care costs may vary based on the type of care you require and your location, alongside the amount of support you qualify for through the above-mentioned schemes and your local council. Reaching out for help is always the best first step if you need any assistance or suggestions about where to go for further information.