Elderly Home Care Costs UK

Elderly care at home costs £15-40 per hour for professional carers, with total monthly costs ranging from £500 for weekly visits to £6,000+ for live-in care. Understanding home care options, funding support, and quality standards helps families make informed decisions about caring for aging relatives while maintaining independence and dignity. Many families prefer home care over residential care homes costing £800-1,500 per week, as it allows elderly people to remain in familiar surroundings at potentially lower cost. Let's explore elderly home care costs in the UK for 2025.

Home care services range from brief visits helping with medication and meals to 24-hour live-in care providing constant support. Local authority support, NHS Continuing Healthcare, and Attendance Allowance can help fund care costs, though means-tested thresholds often mean families pay privately.

How Much Does Elderly Home Care Cost?

Hourly Care Visits: £15 to £25 per hour through agencies, £12-18 per hour for private carers. Minimum visit typically 30 minutes to 1 hour. Agency visit costs £20/hour average, so 2 hours daily care costs £280/week or £1,200/month.

Daily Visits (Multiple Times): £800 to £2,000 per month for 2-4 visits daily (morning, lunchtime, evening, bedtime). Includes help with washing, dressing, meals, medication. Typical package costs £1,200-1,500/month.

Live-In Care: £800 to £1,400 per week (£3,500-6,000/month). Carer lives in home providing 24-hour support and companionship. More expensive but often cheaper than residential care homes at £1,000-1,500/week.

Overnight Care: £100 to £150 per night for waking night care (carer awake all night). Sleeping night care £70-100/night (carer sleeps but available if needed). Weekly overnight care costs £700-1,050/week.

Specialist Dementia Care: £20 to £35 per hour or £1,000-1,600/week live-in. Higher rates reflect specialist training and challenging care requirements.

Respite Care: £15-30 per hour to give family carers breaks. Can be few hours weekly or longer periods. Provides essential relief preventing carer burnout.

Factors Affecting Home Care Costs

⏰ Care Hours and Intensity

Few hours weekly costs £200-400/month. Daily visits cost £800-2,000/month. Live-in care costs £3,500-6,000/month. Overnight care adds £700-1,000/week. Each additional hour costs £15-25, so increasing from 10 to 20 hours weekly adds £600-1,000/month.

🏥 Care Complexity

Basic companionship and housework costs £15-20/hour. Personal care (washing, dressing, toileting) costs £18-25/hour. Specialist dementia or complex medical needs cost £25-35/hour. Moving from basic to specialist care adds £40-60/day on 4-hour daily package.

📍 Location

London and South East cost £22-35/hour. Midlands and North cost £15-25/hour. Rural areas sometimes £2-5/hour less than cities but travel time may increase minimum visit charges. London live-in care costs £1,200-1,600/week versus £800-1,200/week in regions.

🏢 Agency vs Private Carer

Agencies charge £18-30/hour, providing trained staff, insurance, backup cover, and oversight. Private carers charge £12-20/hour, saving £200-400/month but requiring you to handle employment, insurance, and backup arrangements. Agency provides peace of mind but costs 30-50% more.

Funding Support for Elderly Care

💷 Local Authority Funding

Means-tested support if savings under £23,250. Care needs assessment determines eligibility. Local authority pays some or all care costs depending on assets. Free care if savings under £14,250 and meet care criteria. Savings £14,250-23,250 contribute portion. Over £23,250 pay privately.

🏥 NHS Continuing Healthcare

Fully funded by NHS if primary need is health rather than social care. Strict criteria - only 15-20% applicants qualify. Covers all care costs including live-in care if eligible. Worth applying if significant health needs (advanced dementia, terminal illness, complex medical conditions).

💰 Attendance Allowance

£68.10/week (lower rate) or £101.75/week (higher rate) for over-65s needing personal care. Not means-tested - anyone with care needs can claim regardless of income/savings. Provides £295-440/month toward care costs. Apply through DWP.

💳 Council Tax Discount

25% reduction if elderly person living alone, or discount if severely mentally impaired. Saves £300-500/year depending on band. Often overlooked benefit worth claiming.

Home Care vs Care Home Comparison

Home Care Advantages: Remain in familiar home, maintain independence, one-to-one attention, often cheaper for moderate care needs (£1,200-2,000/month vs £3,500-6,000/month residential). Flexibility to increase/decrease hours.

Home Care Disadvantages: Less social interaction, family manages property maintenance, may need equipment adaptations, carer sickness requires backup arrangements. 24-hour care at home expensive (£5,000-7,000/month).

Care Home Advantages: 24-hour supervision, social activities, meals included, no property worries, consistent care team. Fixed monthly cost covers everything.

Care Home Disadvantages: More expensive for moderate needs (£4,000-7,000/month), loss of independence, unfamiliar environment, shared facilities, rigid routines.

FAQs

Conclusion

Elderly home care in UK costs £15-40/hour for visits or £3,500-6,000/month for live-in care, offering independence and familiarity compared to residential care. Weekly visits cost £200-500/month, daily care £1,200-2,000/month, intensive support £3,000-7,000/month. Funding support available through local authorities (if savings under £23,250), NHS Continuing Healthcare (if meet health criteria), and Attendance Allowance (£295-440/month). Compare £1,500/month home care for moderate needs versus £4,500/month residential care - home often cheaper and preferred. Start planning early, apply for Attendance Allowance, get care needs assessment, and research quality agencies. 👵

	Alan Frost
	Grew up in and live in Birmingham. Writer, publisher, editor, EFL teacher, composer.