Average Care Home Fees in England: What Drives the Cost

In short: Average care home fees vary widely by area, care type and room, and no single official figure fits every family. Age UK’s page (updated 9 April 2026) gives around £1,100 a week for a care home and £1,450 for a nursing home, while NHS.uk gives NHS-funded nursing care as £267.68 a week from 1 April 2026. Ask your council and each home for the local figure.

What average care home fees look like in England

No single official figure for average care home fees in England was available to check for this guide, so the numbers below are a rough guide only. Age UK’s page on paying for a care home (last updated 9 April 2026) says fees are around £1,100 a week for a place in a care home and £1,450 a week for a place in a nursing home, but it does not give a date for those figures. Treat them as a starting point, not a quote.

The NHS social care guide (NHS.uk, reviewed June 2026) says the price varies according to where you live and the type of care you need. For that reason average care home fees can be well off the mark for your area. A home in one county can cost far more or less than a home in the next.

To find the local figure, try these routes:

• Ask the council’s adult social care team for its standard rate for your type of care, and whether it has published a local cost of care report.
• Ask each home you are considering for its full fee schedule for every room type, in writing.
• Compare at least three homes in the area you want before relying on any average.

This guide is about England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own funding rules, rates and thresholds, so check with the relevant national or local body before using anything here for a home outside England.

What drives average care home fees up or down

Each home sets its own weekly fee, and the main drivers of average care home fees are the type of care, the location and the room. The NHS social care guide explains that residential homes provide staff help with daily tasks and meals, while nursing homes also provide round the clock nursing care. Nursing home fees are usually higher than residential care home cost for the same area.

Other things that move the price, and so move average care home fees in your area:

• Care needs. NHS.uk gives dementia and COPD as examples of conditions that can increase the cost. A person who needs more staff time, or a specialist dementia unit, may be charged more.
• Location. The same type of care costs different amounts in different parts of the country.
• Room. Size, an en suite, a garden view or a larger room can all change the fee. A very low headline price may relate only to the smallest room, so ask which room it covers.
• Who pays. Councils often pay less than the figure a home charges a self funder, which is why top ups exist.

If the home is not one that you pay for yourself, the council’s own rates matter. Our guide to council care rates explains how they work.

NHS-funded nursing care and what it changes

NHS-funded nursing care is a flat weekly payment to the home, and NHS.uk gives the standard rate as £267.68 a week from 1 April 2026. NHS.uk also lists a higher rate of £368.24 a week for people who moved into a care home before 1 October 2007 and were on the previous high band.

You may qualify if you live in a nursing home and have been assessed as needing care from a registered nurse, but you are not eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. The NHS pays the money directly to the care home, not to you. It goes towards the cost of nursing care and does not cover the whole fee.

NHS.uk says you should first be assessed for NHS continuing healthcare, and that most people do not need a separate assessment for NHS-funded nursing care. If one is needed, your integrated care board can arrange it. Ask the home how the payment appears in your contract and invoices. Our guide to NHS-funded nursing care has more detail.

Council funding, personal budgets and the standard rate

The council may pay some or all of your fees if your savings are below the upper capital limit, which NHS.uk gives as £23,250. The page was last reviewed on 30 June 2026 and does not state a tax year for the figure, so check the current limit with your council.

The process has two free steps. A care needs assessment comes first, and anyone can ask for one. A financial assessment follows and decides whether the council pays the maximum, pays part, or leaves you to pay the full cost. The amount depends on your needs and what you can afford.

When the council makes a care and support plan with you, you receive a personal budget. NHS.uk says it can be taken as a direct payment, as care arranged by the council, or through an organisation you choose, or a mix. For care homes, the council usually arranges the place and pays the home.

The Alzheimer’s Society explains that each council sets a standard rate, an upper limit it will pay for a care home. The council must offer at least one home that meets the person’s needs, and if no suitable home exists at that rate, it must fund a more expensive one without asking for a top up. Read more in our guides to local authority funding for care and your rights under the Care Act 2014.

Third party top up rules under the Care Act 2014

A third party top up is a payment, usually by a relative or friend, that covers the gap between the council’s rate and the cost of a more expensive home you prefer. It is used when the person chooses the home, not when the council has no cheaper suitable place.

Under the Choice of Accommodation regulations made under the Care Act 2014, the council can arrange the preferred home only if it is satisfied that the payer is willing and able to meet the extra cost for as long as the council expects to meet the person’s needs there, and the payer signs a written agreement. The council may agree to accept less than the full extra cost.

Practical points for families:

• NHS.uk says the person paying signs an agreement with the council and the care home, setting out the costs, how often payments are due, and what happens if payments stop.
• Age UK says the council cannot ask for a top up if the person is in a more expensive home out of necessity rather than preference.
• The Alzheimer’s Society warns that if a top up stops, the council may move the person to another home within its budget, which can be disruptive.
• The CMA says no top up should be charged where care is funded by NHS continuing healthcare.

Top ups add to average care home fees for the family paying them, so ask whether you can afford the top up for as long as it may be needed, and ask what happens if fees rise. Seek advice from an independent financial adviser or the council before signing. A top up contributor is not the same as a guarantor, who must be told clearly how much they could be liable for if the resident defaults.

Fee increases, contract terms and consumer law

Care home charges England wide are covered by consumer law, and the CMA’s advice for providers (published 8 December 2021) sets out what it expects. The advice is aimed at homes, but it shows what a fair contract looks like.

• Fee information upfront. Prospective residents should get key fee information on first contact, covering the range of fees for each care type and room type.
• Fee increases. Contracts should say clearly when and how fees can change. The CMA says wording such as “cost reflective” or “reasonable” is unlikely to be fair, and that less than 28 days’ notice is unlikely to be fair.
• Deposits. A security deposit should be protected against the home’s insolvency, and a reservation deposit should be credited towards fees if the person moves in.
• Fees after death. The CMA lists requiring fees for extended periods after a resident dies as an example of a likely unfair term, and says any such requirement should be highlighted upfront.

Average care home fees tell you little about your own contract, so read it before the move, not after. If the person lacks capacity to sign, check who is legally able to act. If a term worries you, ask Citizens Advice or a solicitor. Our guide on unpaid care home fees after death covers the later stage.

Deferred payment agreements

A deferred payment agreement lets the council pay care home fees on your behalf, which you repay later, usually from the sale of your home. NHS.uk describes it as useful if your savings are below the £23,250 upper capital limit and all your money is tied up in your property. You repay the council when you choose to sell your home, or after your death.

Age UK adds that it can act as a bridging loan while you sell a property. Ask your council whether you are eligible and what it will charge, as terms can vary. NHS.uk also says not to sell your home or end a tenancy before the council decides on funding. A solicitor or specialist care fees adviser can explain the options, including how selling or renting your home affects your finances.

What the fee includes, extras and questions to ask a home

The weekly fee should cover every charge that all residents must pay, and the CMA says it would normally expect to see all mandatory charges recovered in the weekly fee. Optional extras must be genuinely optional, and the home should tell you what they are. Where a cost is unavoidable for some residents, such as staff escorts to medical appointments, the CMA says the home should give the actual cost or an accurate estimate, not just say a charge will apply.

Questions to ask each home, in writing where possible:

1. What is the full weekly fee for this room, and what does it include?
2. Which items cost extra, and how much does each cost?
3. How is the NHS-funded nursing care payment shown on the invoice?
4. How and when can fees rise, and how much notice will we get?
5. Do you accept council funded residents, and do you ask for a third party top up?
6. What deposit or reservation fee applies, and is it protected?
7. What is the notice period if the person leaves, moves or dies?
8. What happens if care needs increase, and will the fee change?

Use average care home fees only as a guide, and check the home’s latest inspection rating with the Care Quality Commission as well as the price. For wider planning, see our guide to paying for care in England.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as an average care home fee?

There is no single official average that applies to every area. Age UK’s page, last updated 9 April 2026, gives around £1,100 a week for a care home and £1,450 for a nursing home, without dating the figures. Fees vary by area, home and care type, so ask homes and your council.

Does the NHS pay for nursing home fees?

The NHS pays a flat rate towards nursing care if you live in a nursing home and need care from a registered nurse but are not eligible for NHS continuing healthcare. NHS.uk gives £267.68 a week from 1 April 2026. It is paid to the home and does not cover the whole fee.

Can the council pay part of care home fees?

Yes. After a care needs assessment and a financial assessment, the council may pay some or all of the fee. NHS.uk gives the upper capital limit as £23,250, with the page reviewed on 30 June 2026. Check the current limit and your own position with your council.

What is a third party top up?

It is an extra payment, usually from a relative or friend, that covers the difference between the council’s rate and a more expensive home the person prefers. The payer must be willing and able to pay, and signs a written agreement with the council. Ask what happens if payments stop.

Can a care home put up its fees whenever it likes?

No. The CMA says contracts should state clearly when and how fees can change, and that vague wording such as reasonable or cost reflective is unlikely to be fair. It also says less than 28 days’ notice is unlikely to be fair. Check the contract before signing.

What is a deferred payment agreement?

It is an arrangement where the council pays care home fees for you and you repay it later, usually from the sale of your home. NHS.uk says repayment is when you choose to sell the home or after your death. Ask your council whether you are eligible.

Can a care home charge extras on top of the weekly fee?

Optional extras are allowed if they are genuinely optional and the home tells you about them. The CMA says charges every resident must pay should normally be in the weekly fee, and costs that apply to some residents should be given as an actual cost or accurate estimate.

Official sources

• NHS.uk: NHS-funded nursing care
• NHS.uk: When the council might pay for your care
• NHS.uk: Paying for your own care (self funding)
• NHS.uk: Care homes
• Age UK: Paying for a care home
• Alzheimer’s Society: Paying for care home fees in England
• CMA: Consumer law advice for UK care home providers (December 2021)
• legislation.gov.uk: Care and Support and After-care (Choice of Accommodation) Regulations 2014

This page is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. The Care Panel is an independent guide and is not part of any government body or care provider. Last checked 9 November 2026.

Related: Self-funding care · Care home pre-admission assessment · Changing care homes

Related guides: Residential or nursing home fees · Third party top up fees · Care home fee increases · Deferred payment agreements

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 9 November 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.