Are care home fees all-inclusive? Extras to check in 2026

Rarely. Most care home weekly fees in England cover the room, meals, personal care, laundry and utilities, but many homes charge extra for hairdressing, chiropody, outings, newspapers, a personal phone line and staff escorts to hospital appointments. Consumer law guidance from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says homes must tell you upfront what the fee includes and what any extras cost, so you can compare homes properly.

In short

• The weekly fee normally covers accommodation, food and drink, personal care, laundry, heating, lighting and the home’s activity programme.
• Common extras include hairdressing, chiropody, private outings, toiletries, newspapers, phone or TV packages and escorts to appointments.
• CMA advice says compulsory charges should be in the headline fee and optional extras must be genuinely optional and priced.
• Extras can add £20 to £60 or more a week. Over a year, £40 a week is £2,080.
• Council-funded residents keep a Personal Expenses Allowance of £31.80 a week (2026/27); it must not be used for care in their care plan.
• Fee changes need at least 28 days’ notice, and fees after death should usually stop within 3 days for self-funders.

What the weekly fee usually includes

Every home is different, so treat this as a starting checklist rather than a guarantee.

Some items have rules of their own. NHS-funded nursing care is paid by the NHS directly to a nursing home for eligible residents; see NHS-funded nursing care rates. Continence products are often provided via the NHS continence service, so ask whether the home charges for any top-up supplies.

What consumer law says about fees and extras

The CMA’s consumer law advice for care home providers, which applies across the UK, sets out what homes must do. The key points for families:

• Key information on first contact. When you first phone or visit, the home should give an indication of weekly fees, any upfront payments such as deposits, what the fee includes, and any additional or optional charges. It should be on the website too.
• Compulsory costs in the headline price. If a charge is unavoidable, it should be part of the weekly fee, not added later.
• Real prices for extras. A home should state the actual cost of unavoidable extras, such as a staff escort to hospital appointments, rather than just saying a charge may apply.
• Optional means optional. Your parent should be able to decline extras such as hairdressing without penalty.
• A written final fee. After assessing care needs, the home must confirm the total weekly fee, and give you time to consider it before you accept.
• Fair fee rises. Contracts should explain when and how fees can change, with at least 28 days’ notice. Vague wording like “reasonable increases” is unlikely to be fair.

Deposits and upfront payments

The CMA says homes should explain any deposit: why it is taken, how it is protected if the home goes bust, and how and when it is refunded. A security deposit should be returned within about 28 days of the resident leaving or dying, once the final account is agreed. A reservation deposit should normally be credited against the first fees. Other upfront fees, such as a one-off “administration” or “joining” fee, may be unfair unless clearly justified, although the High Court rejected the CMA’s 2021 challenge to one provider’s upfront administration fees, so question any such fee before signing. An advance payment of normal weekly fees is acceptable if there is a fair refund policy.

Fees after death

For self-funders, the CMA considers charging up to 3 days after death unlikely to be challenged, or until belongings are cleared with a 10-day maximum. Fees paid in advance beyond that should be refunded. See unpaid care home fees after death.

Sample weekly budget for extras

These figures are illustrative only, to help you plan. Ask each home for its own price list.

At around £46 a week, extras add about £2,400 a year. For a council-funded resident with a Personal Expenses Allowance of £31.80 a week, a list like this would not be affordable without help from family, so prioritise. Read our Personal Expenses Allowance guide.

Extras that should not be charged

Some charges are not genuinely extra:

• Anything in the care plan. If the council funds the place and the care plan says your parent needs something, such as help with continence, it is part of the placement, not an extra.
• Top-ups for NHS Continuing Healthcare. The CMA says residents fully funded by CHC should not be charged a top-up.
• Escorts the home must provide to meet assessed needs, where the council contract covers them.
• Fees for a third party making up a council shortfall, unless a formal top-up agreement has been made with the council.

Questions to ask every home

1. What exactly does the weekly fee include? Can I have it in writing?
2. Is there a price list for extras, and how often does it change?
3. Do you charge for escorts to hospital, and at what hourly rate?
4. Are toiletries and continence products included?
5. Do you take a deposit? How is it protected and when is it refunded?
6. How are fees reviewed each year, and is the increase linked to an index?
7. Do you charge different fees for self-funders and council-funded residents for the same room?
8. Will you accept the council rate if my parent’s savings run out, and is a top-up needed?
9. What happens to fees after a resident dies?

Our care home visit checklist and questions to ask when visiting a care home help you cover care quality too. Check the latest CQC inspection; see CQC ratings explained.

Mistakes families make

• Comparing headline fees without adding extras. A home £30 a week cheaper can cost more once a long list of extras is added.
• Not reading the care home contract before signing, especially clauses on fee increases and notice.
• Signing as guarantor without realising it; see can I be made to pay my parent’s care home fees?
• Assuming a council-funded parent can afford regular extras from £31.80 a week.
• Not budgeting for fee increases. Use our care cost calculator to see how long savings will last.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

CMA consumer law advice applies to care homes across the UK, so the rules on transparent fees, deposits and fair terms are the same. Funding differs: Scotland pays free personal and nursing care contributions for eligible self-funders, and personal allowances for council-funded residents are £37.65 a week in Scotland, £46.35 in Wales and £36.62 in Northern Ireland from April 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Are care home fees all-inclusive?

Usually not completely. Weekly fees generally include the room, meals, personal care, laundry and utilities. Hairdressing, chiropody, outings, newspapers, phone lines and staff escorts to appointments are often extra, which can add £20 to £60 or more a week. Ask each home for a written list.

What extras do care homes charge for?

Common extras are hairdressing, private chiropody, outings, toiletries, newspapers, personal phone or TV packages, dry cleaning and staff escorts to hospital. CMA guidance says homes should tell you upfront what is included and the actual price of unavoidable extras.

Do care homes charge for escorting residents to hospital?

Many do, often by the hour. CMA advice says homes should state the real cost of unavoidable extras like escorts, not just say a charge applies. If the escort is part of a council-funded care plan, it should not be charged as an extra.

Can a care home charge a deposit?

Yes, but it must be fair. Homes should explain why it is taken, how it is protected if the home fails and how it is refunded. A security deposit should be repaid within about 28 days of leaving or death once the final account is agreed.

Can a care home put up fees without notice?

No. CMA guidance says contracts must explain when and how fees can change, and residents should get at least 28 days’ notice. Terms giving a home an unlimited right to raise fees are likely to be unfair and unenforceable.

Are toiletries included in care home fees?

It depends on the home. Some include basic toiletries in the weekly fee, others charge for them or expect families to supply them. Council-funded residents often buy their own from the £31.80 a week Personal Expenses Allowance, so check before choosing a home.

Sources

• CMA: care homes consumer rights for residents and their families
• CMA: care homes consumer law advice for providers
• CMA: charging fees after a resident’s death
• CMA: care homes consumer protection case
• DHSC: social care charging 2026 to 2027
• Care Quality Commission

General information, not legal or financial advice. Figures for 2026/27, checked October 2026.

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 29 October 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.