Home care costs in Torbay
Hourly and live-in rates for 2026, from the agencies that publish them. Updated as agencies confirm their prices.
There are 28 home care agencies registered with the CQC in Torbay, South West, and agencies based in neighbouring areas cover it too. None has yet published a rate we can show, so the figures below come from the wider region.
Across the South West the typical weekday hourly rate is £30, so two one-hour visits a day comes to about £420 a week. Expect agencies in Torbay to fall in a similar range until more of them publish their rates.
Live-in care, one carer living in with breaks covered, is priced per week. Across the South West the typical live-in rate is £1,500 a week, and once you need more than about 35 hours a week it is usually cheaper than visits.
Compare with a carer you choose through PrimeCarers
About £420 a week for two one-hour visits a day
Live-in care £1,500 a week
A self-employed carer you chooseTypically £20, about £280 a week for the same visits
Your own carer could cost about £140 a week less, £7,280 over a year
Live-in care near Torbay typically £1,120 a week.
PrimeCarers runs this site. Carers on it are self-employed and set their own rates. Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check within the last 2 years, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them.
How Torbay compares with nearby areas
Worth knowing: agencies based in these areas often cover Torbay too.
What the rate includes
An agency’s hourly rate in Torbay pays the carer, the office that plans the rota, travel between visits, training, insurance and a margin. Weekends and bank holidays usually cost more, short visits cost more per hour, and some agencies add mileage for visits far from the office.
Ask for the full price list: weekday and weekend rates, the shortest visit they do, and the cancellation terms. Rates are reviewed once a year, usually in April.
Who pays in Torbay
If you have more than £23,250 in savings you will normally pay yourself. Below that, Torbay council assesses what you can contribute; your house does not count while you live in it. You can take the money as a direct payment and choose your own agency or carer.
People with very high health needs may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which covers the whole cost at home.
Full guides: who pays, and when the council helps, direct payments and Continuing Healthcare at home.
Agency or your own carer in Torbay?
Self-employed carers on PrimeCarers charge £18 to £25 an hour and set their own rates, against the typical the South West agency rate of £30. The same carer comes each time and you agree the hours between you. Live-in care is typically £1,120 a week near Torbay.
Common questions
How much does home care in Torbay cost an hour?
We do not yet have three published rates in Torbay, so the best guide is the the South West figure of £30 an hour and £1,500 a week for live-in care. Ask each agency for a written price list.
How much does home care in Torbay cost a week?
At £30 an hour, one visit a day is about £210 a week, two visits a day about £420, and three about £630. Live-in care is about £1,500 a week. Most agencies raise rates once a year, in April.
What is the cheapest home care agency in Torbay?
No agency in Torbay has published a rate we can show yet. The area listing marks any agency that adds one.
Will Torbay council pay for home care?
If your savings are below £23,250, Torbay council will assess your needs and what you can afford, and may pay part or all of the cost. 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; if they charge more than the council's rate you pay the difference. Ask the adult social care team for a needs assessment first.
Is a self-employed carer cheaper than an agency in Torbay?
Usually. Carers on PrimeCarers charge £18 to £25 an hour against the typical the South West agency rate of £30, and live-in care is typically £1,120 a week near Torbay. You choose the carer and the same person comes each time.
Rates last checked October 2026.