How much does home care cost?
The figures below come from rates that home care agencies publish on their own websites or have reported to us. They are updated as we collect more, and every agency page shows where its figure came from.
Typical rates by region
| Region | Hourly, weekdays | Live-in, a week | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home care in East Midlands | £26.50 | £1,675 | 1,339 |
| Home care in East of England | £27.98 | £1,593 | 1,731 |
| Home care in London | £24.63 | £1,400 | 2,280 |
| Home care in North East | £28.86 | £1,675 | 399 |
| Home care in North West | £27.25 | £1,675 | 1,488 |
| Home care in South East | £28 | £1,495 | 2,342 |
| Home care in South West | £30 | £1,500 | 1,228 |
| Home care in West Midlands | £25 | £1,675 | 1,488 |
| Home care in Yorkshire and The Humber | £27.50 | £1,623 | 1,162 |
| England | £27 | £1,505 | 13,461 |
Median weekday hourly rate and live-in weekly rate of the agencies with a figure on record. Where we do not yet have enough rates for a region we say “collecting”.
Most expensive council areas for home care
| Council area | Region | Hourly, weekdays | Live-in, a week | Agencies with rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devon | South West | £37.38 | £1,675 | 4 of 140 |
| Greenwich | London | £34.95 | £1,863 | 3 of 100 |
| Gloucestershire | South West | £32.88 | £1,638 | 6 of 166 |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | South West | £32.25 | £1,398 | 6 of 120 |
| York | Yorkshire and The Humber | £32 | £1,800 | 6 of 42 |
| North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | £31.44 | £1,504 | 6 of 154 |
| Derbyshire | East Midlands | £31.25 | £1,675 | 12 of 145 |
| Cornwall | South West | £31 | £1,675 | 9 of 111 |
| Shropshire | West Midlands | £30 | £1,675 | 4 of 81 |
| Warwickshire | West Midlands | £30 | £1,475 | 15 of 127 |
Least expensive council areas for home care
| Council area | Region | Hourly, weekdays | Live-in, a week | Agencies with rates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset | South West | £19.30 | £1,398 | 5 of 111 |
| West Northamptonshire | East Midlands | £21.75 | £1,150 | 4 of 162 |
| Hounslow | London | £22 | £1,550 | 6 of 65 |
| Ealing | London | £22 | £1,390 | 4 of 107 |
| Havering | London | £22 | £1,375 | 5 of 112 |
| Harrow | London | £22.16 | £1,588 | 6 of 86 |
| Waltham Forest | London | £22.50 | £1,500 | 5 of 57 |
| Hillingdon | London | £22.50 | £1,225 | 6 of 80 |
| Barking and Dagenham | London | £22.50 | £1,145 | 6 of 143 |
| North Northamptonshire | East Midlands | £23 | £1,188 | 9 of 140 |
Council areas appear once at least three agencies there have an hourly rate on record. 79 of 152 areas qualify so far.
What the hourly rate includes
An agency’s hourly rate pays the carer, the office that plans the rota, travel between visits, training, insurance and a margin. Most agencies charge more at weekends and on bank holidays, and a short visit costs more per hour than a long one. Some charge separately for mileage or for visits beyond a certain distance from the office.
Ask for the full price list before you sign: the weekday rate, the weekend rate, the shortest visit they will do, and what happens if a visit is cancelled. Most agencies review rates once a year in April, when the minimum wage rises.
Full guide: what a home care rate includes, and what costs extra.
Who pays
In England, if you have more than £23,250 in savings you will normally pay for care at home yourself. Below that, the council assesses what you can contribute. Unlike a care home, the value of your house is not counted while you live in it.
The council can arrange the care or give you the money as a direct payment to spend with the agency or carer you choose. People with very high health needs may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which pays for all of it.
Read the full guides: who pays, and when the council helps, direct payments and NHS Continuing Healthcare at home.
Agency or your own carer?
Choosing your own carer means the same person every visit and no agency margin on the rate. You pick them from their profile and agree the hours between you. PrimeCarers checks every carer’s ID, right to work and enhanced DBS, and each records an online interview. Qualifications, training and references are not checked.
Home care costs by council area
Every council area in England has its own page: the typical hourly and live-in rate, the cheapest and most expensive agencies with a published price, nearby areas and what the council pays.
London
- Barking and Dagenham
- Barnet
- Bexley
- Brent
- Bromley
- Camden
- City of London
- Croydon
- Ealing
- Enfield
- Greenwich
- Hackney
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Haringey
- Harrow
- Havering
- Hillingdon
- Hounslow
- Islington
- Kensington and Chelsea
- Kingston upon Thames
- Lambeth
- Lewisham
- Merton
- Newham
- Redbridge
- Richmond upon Thames
- Southwark
- Sutton
- Tower Hamlets
- Waltham Forest
- Wandsworth
- Westminster
Common questions
Short answers here; the guides go into each one properly.
How much does home care cost an hour?
Across England the middle agency rate we have on record is £27 an hour on weekdays, and the Homecare Association puts the minimum price an agency needs to charge at £34.42. Rates are higher in London and the South East and lower in the North. Weekends and bank holidays usually cost more, and short visits cost more per hour than long ones.
How much does home care cost a week?
It depends on the hours. Two one-hour visits a day at £27 an hour comes to about £378 a week. Once you need more than about 35 hours a week, live-in care at £1,505 a week with an agency, or from £1,120 with a self-employed carer, is usually the cheaper shape.
Why do rates vary so much?
Staff pay, travel between visits, how long each visit is, whether the agency employs its carers or introduces self-employed ones, and where you live all move the rate. Two agencies covering the same street can be ten pounds an hour apart, so it pays to compare.
Will the council pay?
If your savings and assets are below £23,250 in England the council will assess your needs and what you can afford, and may pay part or all of the cost. Unlike a care home, the value of your house does not count while you live in it. You can take the money as a direct payment and spend it with the agency or carer you choose.
What is a direct payment?
Money the council gives you instead of arranging care itself, so you can pick your own agency or employ a carer directly. The amount is based on the council's own rate, so an agency that charges more may leave you with a top-up to pay.
Is a self-employed carer cheaper than an agency?
Usually. Carers on PrimeCarers charge £18 to £25 an hour and set their own rates, with no agency margin on top. You choose the carer and the same person comes each time. The platform checks their ID, right to work and enhanced DBS, and they record an online interview.