Questions answered
Home care costs: 39 questions answered
How much home care costs per hour, per week and per year in England, why prices vary, and how people pay for it. Figures come from our Care Fees and Quality Index and are updated each quarter.
Reviewed by The Care Panel editorial team on 22 October 2026. How we check our information.
Help with paying
Will I have to pay for my own home care?
It depends on your needs and finances. If the council assesses you as having eligible needs, it carries out a financial assessment. In England, if your savings and investments are above £23,250 you will usually pay the full cost. Below that, the council contributes, and you pay from your income above a protected minimum. Your home is not counted when you receive care at home.
Source: GOV.UK
See also: Council funding for home care: the means test explained
Is my house counted in the means test for home care?
No. Full answer: Council funding for home care: the means test explained →
What savings limit applies for council-funded home care?
In England, the upper capital limit is £23,250. If your savings and investments, excluding your home, are above this, you usually pay the full cost of home care yourself. Between £14,250 and £23,250, you pay towards care plus tariff income of £1 a week for every £250 above £14,250. Below £14,250, savings are ignored and only your income is assessed.
Source: GOV.UK
Can I use Attendance Allowance to pay for home care?
Yes. Full answer: Using Attendance Allowance to pay for home care →
Do I pay for a carer's travel time and mileage?
Travel time between visits is normally built into the hourly rate rather than charged separately. Mileage is different: if a carer drives you to appointments or shopping in their own car, most agencies charge per mile on top, often around 45p a mile. Check the price list to see what is included and whether there is a minimum charge for escorted trips.
Source: Age UK
See also: Home care contracts: what to check before you sign
Can I get home care for free?
Sometimes. In England, home care is free if you qualify for NHS continuing healthcare, during up to six weeks of reablement or intermediate care, and as aftercare under section 117 of the Mental Health Act. Council-funded care is free if your income after allowances is low enough, though most people pay something. Everyone else pays privately.
Source: NHS
Does NHS continuing healthcare pay for care at home?
Yes. Full answer: NHS Continuing Healthcare at Home: Who Qualifies and How to Apply →
How much do I pay for home care if my savings are between £14,250 and £23,250?
You will usually get some help from the council, but you will pay a contribution. In England, savings between £14,250 and £23,250 are treated as producing 'tariff income' of £1 a week for every £250 above £14,250. For example, £18,250 in savings adds £16 a week of assumed income. This is added to your actual income above the minimum income guarantee to work out your charge.
Source: GOV.UK
Can I use direct payments to pay for home care?
Yes. If the council is funding some or all of your care, you can ask for your personal budget as direct payments and use them to pay an agency of your choice or to employ a personal assistant. You must keep records and spend the money on the needs in your care plan. Direct payments give more control over who visits and when.
Source: GOV.UK
See also: Direct Payments & Personal Budgets: Paying for Care Your Way
Will the council charge me a fee to arrange my home care?
Possibly. In England, if you pay for your own care at home but ask the council to arrange it, the council can do so and may charge an arrangement fee to cover its costs, as well as passing on the cost of the care itself. The fee must not exceed the cost of arranging. Many self-funders arrange care directly with an agency instead.
Source: legislation.gov.uk
See also: Self-funding home care: what to know before you start
Can disability-related expenses reduce what I pay for home care?
Yes. When the council charges for care at home in England, it should allow for disability-related expenditure, which is extra spending caused by illness or disability, such as higher heating bills, laundry, special diets, a cleaner or a personal alarm. These are deducted from your assessable income, which can lower your weekly charge. Keep receipts and tell the financial assessor about them.
Source: GOV.UK
Can I get tax relief on home care costs?
No. In the UK there is no general income tax relief for the cost of care at home for older people. Some help comes through non-taxable benefits such as Attendance Allowance, and if you employ a carer directly you must handle their tax, not claim relief. People with a care annuity may receive tax-free payments if they are paid directly to a registered care provider.
Source: Which? Later
Do I still pay for home care while I'm in hospital?
It depends on the contract. Some private agencies charge a retainer to keep your visit times and carers available, while others stop charging after you notify them. Councils usually suspend charges for council-arranged care during a hospital stay. Tell the agency promptly about an admission and check the contract's terms on absences and retainers.
Source: Citizens Advice
See also: Home care contracts: what to check before you sign
Prices and charges
How much does home care cost per hour in the UK?
In England, home care from an agency typically costs about £33.50 an hour, according to The Care Panel's Q4 2026 Index. Full answer: How much does home care cost per hour in 2026? →
How much does home care cost in London?
Home care in London typically costs around £37.50 an hour, compared with about £33.50 across England as a whole, according to The Care Panel's Q4 2026 Index. Higher staff pay, including London Living Wage commitments, and travel times push prices up. Inner London boroughs are often dearer than outer ones. Weekend and bank holiday visits usually cost more on top.
How much does care in the home cost per week?
It depends on the hours. At England's typical rate of about £33.50 an hour, seven hours a week (one hour a day) costs around £234.50, 14 hours costs about £469, and 28 hours about £938. Live-in care is typically around £1,610 a week. These figures are from The Care Panel's Q4 2026 Index and exclude weekend or bank holiday premiums.
How much does one hour of home care a day cost?
One hour of home care every day, seven hours a week, costs around £234.50 a week in England at the typical rate of £33.50 an hour, or roughly £1,016 a month. In London, at about £37.50 an hour, the same hours cost around £262.50 a week. Splitting the hour into two 30-minute visits can cost more, as many agencies charge a premium for short visits.
How much do two hours of care a day cost?
Two hours of home care a day, 14 hours a week, costs about £469 a week in England at the typical £33.50 hourly rate, or roughly £2,032 a month. This is a common pattern for someone needing four 30-minute visits a day. In London it would be around £525 a week. Weekend and bank holiday rates can push the total higher.
Source: The Care Panel
How much would three hours of home care a day cost a month?
Three hours a day, 21 hours a week, costs around £703.50 a week in England at the typical rate of £33.50 an hour. Over a year that is about £36,582, or roughly £3,050 a month. At this level, compare the cost with live-in care, typically about £1,610 a week, which may be worth it if help is also needed at night.
Source: The Care Panel
How much does a 30-minute care visit cost?
A 30-minute visit typically costs around £17 to £20 in England. Full answer: 15, 30 or 60-minute care visits: what can a carer do in each? →
Is home care more expensive at weekends?
Usually, yes. Many agencies charge a weekend premium, often somewhere around 10% to 25% above the weekday hourly rate, because they pay carers more for weekend shifts. Some charge one weekend rate for Saturday and Sunday, others only for Sunday. Check the agency's price list, as weekend visits can noticeably increase a weekly bill for someone needing care seven days a week.
Source: Which? Later
How much do care agencies charge on bank holidays?
Most agencies charge more on bank holidays, commonly time-and-a-half or double the normal hourly rate, with Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day often at the highest rate. England has eight bank holidays a year. Check the contract for which days count and whether the premium applies to the full day or only certain hours.
Source: Which? Later
See also: Home care contracts: what to check before you sign
Do you pay VAT on home care?
Not usually. Full answer: Is home care VAT exempt? →
Do introductory care agencies charge VAT?
Usually, yes, on their own fee. An introductory agency introduces self-employed carers rather than providing care itself, so its introduction or ongoing booking fee is normally subject to VAT at 20%. The carer is paid separately and does not usually charge VAT. A CQC-registered managed agency providing personal care is generally VAT-exempt. Ask for a breakdown showing the agency fee, VAT and the carer's rate.
Source: GOV.UK
See also: Managed care vs introductory care agency: what's the difference?
Why is home care so expensive?
The hourly price covers much more than the carer's wage. Agencies must pay at least the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour from April 2026, plus travel time between visits, mileage, holiday pay, employer National Insurance and pensions, training, DBS checks, insurance, supervision, rota and office staff, CQC fees and a margin. Unpaid gaps between visits also have to be covered, which is why short visits cost more.
Source: GOV.UK
See also: Why home care costs more in London: pay, travel and demand
How much of the hourly home care fee does the carer get?
Typically well under half. If you pay around £33.50 an hour, a carer might earn somewhere between the National Living Wage of £12.71 and about £15 for that hour. The rest pays for travel time and mileage, holiday pay, employer National Insurance and pension, training, insurance, management, office costs, regulation and profit. Introductory agencies pass a larger share to the self-employed carer.
Source: GOV.UK
See also: Why home care costs more in London: pay, travel and demand
Is home care cheaper than a care home?
For low or moderate needs, yes. A typical care home costs about £1,520 a week in England, while 14 hours of home care costs roughly £469 a week at £33.50 an hour. Once someone needs care for most of the day and night, home care can match or exceed care home costs; live-in care is typically around £1,610 a week. Figures are from The Care Panel's Q4 2026 Index.
Source: The Care Panel
See also: Home Care vs Care Home: Which Is Right for Your Family?
How much does companionship care cost?
Companionship care is often charged at a similar hourly rate to other home care, around £33.50 an hour on average in England, though some unregulated companionship services charge less. Full answer: Companionship care: what it is and what it costs →
How much does home help for an elderly person cost?
Domestic home help, such as cleaning, laundry and shopping only, is usually cheaper than personal care because it does not need a CQC-registered service. Full answer: Home help for the elderly: cleaning, shopping and meals →
How much does private nursing care at home cost?
Care involving a registered nurse at home costs significantly more than standard home care, often around double the hourly rate or more, because nurses are paid more and fewer agencies provide it. Full answer: Nursing care at home: services and costs →
How much does a private carer cost?
Self-employed private carers often charge less per hour than agencies, whose typical rate in England is about £33.50 an hour, because there are no agency overheads. Private rates vary widely by area, experience and the tasks involved, so ask several carers for quotes. In exchange, you take on responsibility for checks, cover for holidays and sickness, and possibly employer duties. Through an introductory agency, you also pay the agency's fee on top.
Is there a calculator for home care costs?
How much does home care cost per year?
At England's typical rate of £33.50 an hour, 14 hours of care a week costs around £24,388 a year, 21 hours about £36,582, and 28 hours about £48,776. Live-in care at about £1,610 a week is roughly £83,700 a year. These Care Panel Q4 2026 figures exclude weekend and bank holiday premiums, and prices usually rise each April with wage increases.
Source: The Care Panel
See also: Self-funding home care: what to know before you start
Do home care prices go up every year?
Usually, yes, most agencies increase prices each April when the National Living Wage rises, which in April 2026 went to £12.71 an hour. Other costs such as National Insurance, fuel and insurance also feed through. A fair contract should say how and when prices can change and give reasonable notice, often around a month, before a price rise takes effect.
Source: GOV.UK
See also: Home care contracts: what to check before you sign
How much does home care for someone with dementia cost?
Dementia home care usually costs the same hourly rate as other home care, around £33.50 an hour in England, though some agencies charge more for specialist dementia carers. Total costs tend to be higher because people need more and longer visits as dementia progresses. Many families move to live-in care, typically about £1,610 a week, once help is needed through the day and night.
Source: The Care Panel
Why do home care prices vary so much between areas?
Prices reflect local wages, staff shortages, travel distances and demand. London and the South East have the highest costs, with London averaging about £37.50 an hour against £33.50 for England. Rural areas can be pricey because carers spend more time driving between visits. Areas where councils pay low rates may see higher private prices as agencies balance their books.
Source: The Care Panel
How it works in practice
Do I pay if I cancel a home care visit?
Often, yes, if you cancel at short notice. Many agencies charge the full fee for visits cancelled with less than 24 or 48 hours' notice, because the carer's time has been booked. Hospital admissions and emergencies may be treated differently. Check the cancellation terms in the contract; they should be clear and fair under consumer law.
Source: Citizens Advice
See also: Home care contracts: what to check before you sign
Other questions
Do home care agencies have a minimum number of hours?
Many do. Common minimums are a 30-minute or one-hour visit length and sometimes a minimum weekly booking, such as seven or ten hours, particularly for private clients. Some charge a higher hourly rate for short or one-off visits. Minimums are set by each agency, so ask before signing and check the contract for minimum charges.
Source: Age UK
See also: Home care contracts: what to check before you sign
Do councils pay less for home care than private clients?
Usually, yes. Councils buy care in bulk and typically pay agencies lower hourly rates than private self-funders are charged. The Homecare Association has repeatedly reported that many councils pay below what it calculates as the minimum sustainable price. This gap is one reason private rates are higher and why some agencies limit how many council-funded clients they take.
Source: The Care Panel
Built from the Care Quality Commission's register (Oct 2026) under Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel lists and compares services but runs none.