Understanding the average cost of home care in the UK is crucial when planning for elderly care.
Home care costs can vary widely based on the type of care, location, and several other factors, but some care companies lack transparency online regarding their basic hourly rates, which can make it difficult for families to research affordable home care options for their elderly relatives.
At Premier Community, we have always worked hard to ensure our rates remain the most competitive in the market. Currently, our hourly visit rate is over £4 lower than the suggested UK Home Care Association rate.
We’re proud to say that this has been achieved by boosting our operational efficiency. With strategically located teams throughout Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, we are able to offer more flexibility with our call times and reduced mileage between service users for our carers.
In this comprehensive guide, we break down the average home care costs, explore regional variations, and compare home care with residential care costs.
Types of Home Care and Their Costs
Home care services can be broadly categorised into domiciliary care, live-in care, and respite care. Each type offers different levels of support and often comes with its own pricing structure.
Domiciliary Care
Domiciliary care, also known as hourly home care, involves professional caregivers visiting the home to assist with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, medication management, and meal preparation. This type of care is suitable for individuals who need assistance but prefer to stay in their own homes.
- Average Cost: According to lottie.org the average cost of homecare in the UK is £28 per hour.
- Average Weekly Cost: Based on this, for an average of 10 hours per week, service users can expect to pay approximately £280, £1213.33 a month and £14,560 a year.
Premier Community’s home care costs start from as little as £24.10 per hour. This can also be broken down into smaller timeslots depending on the level of care your loved one requires; for example, home care visits that take no longer than 30 minutes are charged at £14.40 per visit, whereas anything between 31 minutes and 45 minutes will be charged at £19.10 per visit.
Live-in Care
Live-in care provides continuous support, where a caregiver lives in the home to offer round-the-clock assistance. This option is suitable for individuals needing constant supervision or those with complex medical needs.
- Average Cost: £800 to £1,600 per week (ref: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/money-work-and-benefits/paying-for-your-own-care-self-funding/).
- Monthly Cost: Between £3,200 and £5,600.
Although we don’t currently offer this service, we can connect you with our live-in care partners at elder.org if you’d like to learn more about this care option.
Respite Care
Respite care offers a much-needed break for regular caregivers, ensuring that the person receiving care continues to get the necessary support. It can be arranged on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis, providing you with peace of mind, a chance to recharge, and an opportunity to reduce your stress levels.
- Hourly Respite Care: £15 to £30 per hour.
- Daily Respite Care: £100 to £150 per day.
- Weekly Respite Care: £600 to £1,200 per week.
At Premier Community, respite care services are charged at the same hourly rate as the rest of our care services, starting from £24.10 per hour, Monday through Friday.
For weekends and bank holidays, we charge an extra £1.00 per hour on top of our standard hourly fee to cover unsociable hours.
Regional Cost Variations
Of course, the average cost of home care services can vary significantly across different regions in the UK. Factors such as local living costs, availability of care providers, and regional demand often influence these variations. However, the following rates should give you a rough baseline to work from.
England
- East Midlands: According to Comparecaring.com, our competitors’ rates within Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire range from £25 per hour to £31.96 per hour as of 1 August 2024.
- London: £20 to £30 per hour for domiciliary care, £1,000 to £1,400 per week for live-in care.
- South East: £18 to £25 per hour, £900 to £1,300 per week.
- North West: £15 to £20 per hour, £800 to £1,100 per week.
Scotland
- Edinburgh: £18 to £25 per hour, £900 to £1,200 per week.
- Glasgow: £15 to £22 per hour, £850 to £1,100 per week.
Wales
- Cardiff: £16 to £23 per hour, £850 to £1,200 per week.
- Swansea: £15 to £22 per hour, £800 to £1,100 per week.
Northern Ireland
- Belfast: £15 to £22 per hour, £800 to £1,100 per week.
- Derry: £14 to £20 per hour, £750 to £1,000 per week.
Factors Influencing Home Care Costs
As we’ve already mentioned, several factors influence the overall cost of home care, including the level of care required, the duration of care, location and even a caregiver’s qualification when it comes to specialised training. To help you further understand how these factors impact the cost of home care. We’ve broken them down into bitesize chunks:
Level of Care Required
Higher levels of care, such as those needed for individuals with severe disabilities or complex medical conditions, will cost more.
Duration of Care
More extended hours of care or full-time live-in arrangements naturally lead to higher costs.
Location
Living in metropolitan areas like London will typically be more expensive than in rural regions due to higher living costs and higher demand for services.
Caregiver Qualifications
Caregivers with specialised training, qualifications, or experience handling specific health conditions may charge higher rates.
Conclusion
As you can see, home care costs in the UK can vary widely based on the type of care, regional factors, and individual needs.
But, by understanding these costs and the factors influencing them, you can help make an informed decision that balances quality care with financial considerations. Whether opting for domiciliary, live-in, or respite care, evaluating all options is essential to finding the best fit for your loved one’s needs.
If you would like any further information or advice on arranging a loved one’s care, please call our friendly team on 01623 810 100.
