Guides
Paying for care at home, explained properly
Long answers to the questions families ask us most. Written in plain English, with the figures for England and where every one came from.
How much does home care cost in 2026? Hourly, live-in and overnight rates
What agencies charge an hour, why the rate is what it is, what a week comes to for the visits you need, and where live-in care becomes the cheaper shape.
8 minute read
Who pays, what the council and the NHS cover, direct payments, and how the sums work.
How much does home care cost in 2026? Hourly, live-in and overnight rates
What agencies charge an hour, why the rate is what it is, what a week comes to for the visits you need, and where live-in care becomes the cheaper shape.
8 minute read
Who pays for home care, and when the council helps
The means test for care at home in plain English: the savings limits, why your house does not count, what you keep each week, and how to get assessed.
7 minute read
Direct payments: taking the council money and choosing your own care
The council can pay for your care or give you the money to arrange it yourself. Here is how direct payments work, what you can spend them on, and what you take on.
6 minute read
NHS Continuing Healthcare at home: when the NHS pays for all of it
For people whose needs are mainly about health, the NHS can pay for care at home in full, including live-in care. The test is strict. This is how it works.
6 minute read
How to read a CQC report, what to ask before you sign, and what the hourly rate buys.
What a home care rate includes, and what costs extra
The hourly rate covers more than the carer and less than you might hope. A guide to the rate, the uplifts, the extras and the yearly rise.
6 minute read
Choosing a home care agency: what to ask before you sign
You learn more in one phone call with the right questions than in a week online. What to ask about carers, cover, rates, coverage and what happens when things go wrong.
7 minute read
Hourly visits, live-in care, nights and respite, and the alternative of choosing your own carer.
Agency or your own carer? The honest comparison
An agency runs the rota and covers sickness; a self-employed carer costs less and is the same face every time. What each gives you, what each costs, and how to decide.
7 minute read
Hourly visits or live-in care? Where the crossover is
Visits suit a few hours a day. Past about 35 hours a week, one carer living in usually costs less and covers the night. How to tell which you need.
6 minute read