How much does live-in care cost in the UK?
Many factors impact live-in carer costs in the UK including the health of the person receiving care, the conditions they are living with and the type of provider they use to receive care in their own home. The range of weekly fees will differ dramatically from provider to provider.
At The Good Care Group, our expert care manager will meet with you and your family at home, or in hospital if you are waiting to be discharged, to undertake a comprehensive assessment of your needs. This assessment will cover not just your care and support needs, but all your choices, preferences and social requirements about how you wish to live your life in your own home. We will then provide a quotation for the live-in care package that will best meet your needs.
Live-in care costs are quoted as a weekly inclusive price based on a person’s assessed needs – there are no hidden fees.
This makes it very straightforward for families to plan the annual live-in care cost for their loved ones. Care homes will charge a weekly fee for care and some separate care and accommodation costs in addition to charging monthly for extras like hairdressing, newspapers, therapy appointments and social events and activities. This can make it more challenging for families to plan the total cost of care over the year.
Once the inclusive weekly fee is agreed upon, there will be no increase in your live-in care costs unless there is a significant change to the care your loved one needs. Annual inflation rises in live-care costs are usual practice with all providers in the sector and will need to be considered by families when looking at the longer term.
What does the cost of live-in care cover on a weekly basis?
As you consider the cost of live-in care for the older generation, you may be wondering what your care costs cover weekly. At The Good Care Group, our inclusive weekly fee includes all of the following:
- A live-in care package completely tailored to your unique care needs
- A fully managed service where we manage and pay your care team
- Carefully matched and highly skilled carers for you to choose from
- Unrivalled expertise in complex medical conditions
- 24/7 access to emergency support and expert advice
- Access to free family education events and support programmes
Live-in care cost considerations
Live-in care costs vs. care home costs
Live-in care costs vs. care home costs
The weekly cost of receiving quality, award-winning care in a care home can range from £1,600 to £2,000 per week depending on the level of care provided and the room you choose in the home. The cost of a care home can vary significantly depending on the standards of care and the environment, as well as the location of the care home.
Care homes are typically more expensive in the South East of England. If nursing care or specialist care for conditions, like dementia, Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis is needed, then the weekly fee can be considerably higher.
Live-in care costs are typically in line with a care home and sometimes less. If you are a couple, live-in care is a cost-effective option. In a care home, you would be charged double for two bedrooms. With live-in care, there is only a nominal live-in care cost if two people receive care at the same address.
With live-in care, you have the added value of being able to keep your family home and the fee you pay for your care is purely for the quality support you receive and not the room and board of a residential home.
When considering a care home, it is important to ask them what is included in the weekly fee as there are generally optional extras, such as trips or hairdressing all of which can add up over the course of a year.
Benefits of live-in care
When comparing the cost of live-in care to the cost of care in a residential or nursing home, it is worth looking at the many compelling benefits of receiving care in your own home:
- A level of dedicated, one-to-one care that is difficult to achieve even in the best care home settings
- Reduced feelings of loneliness and isolation thanks to the companionship of a carer
- Relief from the burden of domestic chores
- Remaining in the community you love amongst family and friends
- Considerable and proven benefits to overall health and wellbeing
- Continuity of care, even 24 hours a day
- An immediate and appropriate response to medical emergencies such as slips and falls
- Peace of mind and reassurance for family members
Learn more about the many benefits of our award-winning live-in care service.
Introduction agency vs. fully managed live-in care provider
It is important when considering live-in care costs that you think about the differences in costs and benefits between using an introductory agency and a fully-managed service. An introductory agency charges you a fee to introduce you to a carer who you employ and pay yourself and manage directly. A fully managed and regulated live-in care provider offers greater levels of management and service delivery to ensure you get the highest quality live-in care.
Once an introduction agency introduces a carer to you and you pay the one-off charge to them for that service, that is typically the end of their involvement in the arrangement. Families are then left to supervise, manage and organise all aspects of the care for their loved ones. This means you will be responsible for managing a rota, paying the carer and organising sickness and holiday cover. Carers introduced through an introductory agency are self-employed and have not necessarily had any training before being placed with a client.
With a fully managed and regulated service, all these worries are simply taken away and you have all the reassurance you need about the quality of care being provided and the level of service you will receive – making life easier for all the family.
The Good Care Group is a regulated service, which means the quality of its care is regulated by The Care Quality Commission (CQC), something introduction home care agencies are not. We are completely accountable for the care we provide, which eliminates worry and provides reassurance to families that their loved one is in safe hands and receiving the best care. We are proud to be the only live-in care provider in the UK to have achieved an ‘Outstanding’ rating in all five areas in our last inspection. Read our CQC report here.
Live-in care for couples
Live-in care for couples is fast becoming the preferred choice when one or both of you require long-term care. Even the best care homes generally do not have double bedrooms for couples to share, living the life they always have. If you both have different needs, you could find yourselves being split up and cared for on different floors or units within the home. Many couples will find this very distressing as it results in couples not spending quality time together.
With live-in care, there is one inclusive weekly fee for providing care at the same address, with a nominal charge to provide couples care. In a care home, costs can be double for two separate packages of care and accommodation, making care homes less cost-effective for couples.
Respite live-in care costs
Our cost of live-in care for a respite is subject to a full assessment of your loved one’s needs. We also offer discounts for a repeat or for a series of respite bookings. It is worth considering that living in respite care is comparable to the care offered in a care home, with all the compelling benefits of staying in the comfort, familiarity and safety of your home and surroundings.
Specialist and complex medical care costs
We have over 10 years of experience in supporting people to live well at home with several complex conditions that require specialist care and medical support, like dementia, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis or for those needing stroke care, cancer care or palliative care. If a person has a more specialist plan of care this generally involves a higher weekly live-in care cost.
What are the additional costs associated with live-in care?
In terms of live-in care, all costs are quoted on a weekly basis according to the results of your needs assessment. There are no extra or hidden fees. The only additional cost to consider is a food allowance. We cover the travel expenses of our carers to and from their placements.
Financing live-in care costs
Many families are faced with having to fund live-in care themselves (referred to as self-funding care). For these families, there are options to help with live-in care costs, including a Care Fees Annuity, which is an insurance policy you purchase to cover the cost of your care, or by realising capital in your assets through an Equity Release scheme. Read the live-in care hub’s guide to funding and financing care at home here.
Case study: How Eric financed live-in care
Eric and Alma had been married for over 65 years. Sadly, Eric’s deteriorating health meant that a move into a care home seemed an inevitable end to their life together. Alma and the family wanted him to stay at home but knew that this would not be an easy decision, as Eric needed specialist personal care and Alma was unable to provide this. As a potential solution, the family considered having a live-in-carer and both arranged a meeting with The Good Care Group. Following our assessment, we knew we could deliver a live-in care package to meet their needs.
Talk to us about your live-in care needs
Call our friendly and approachable team today to arrange an assessment of your care needs. This will give you a better understanding of the cost of live-in care.