How much does live-in care cost in the UK?

Searching for elderly care at home for yourself or a loved one? Make sure the price Is right for live-in care…

Nobody likes the idea of being overcharged. Hidden fees, complex payment plans -- they’re all things we’d rather avoid!

Naturally, if you’re considering a live-in caregiver to help you manage at home, you’ll want to feel assured that services are provided at a fair rate.

By reading today’s blog, you’ll get answers to these important questions about live-in care and see how the costs compare to standard home care:

• How much does live-in care cost in the UK?
• What does a live-in caregiver do?
• What’s the average cost of home care?

• Cost calculator for local home care to you

How much does live-in care cost in the UK?

As you’ll appreciate, discovering the exact average cost of live-in care in the UK is a bit of a challenge!

New home care services and agencies pop up all the time, and prices will differ across the board.

Instead of getting too tied up with finding out the average price to the penny, what we can do is research relevant sources and aggregate the findings.

As a result, you'll be able to get a clearer picture of how much you’re likely to pay.

Right then, let’s start with Elder...

This UK home care supplier says that you can expect the cost of a 24-hour live-in caregiver to be from £1,225 per week for a single person, or £1,325 per week for couples.

The Good Care Group however, has a starting price from £995 a week and for couples, £1390 according to their profile on Autumna.

Live-in care can be a great solution for couples, who are charged almost half the amount per person than they would be with the usual single person rate.

Even if the financial part of the deal isn’t as good for those living on their own, there are still several key benefits, such as:

• Staying in the home you feel most comfortable in
• Being close to any family living nearby
• Receiving companionship from your live-in caregiver
• Peace of mind from having access to help 24 hours a day.

Now let's move on to Promedica24 who list their live-in care rate on Autumna as £1050 per week for individuals and from around £1299.00 per week for couples.

Another cost to bear in mind is covering your live-in carer’s meals, although the food budget can be agreed upon in advance so that you don’t get any surprises.

All in all, these figures might sound rather pricey. However it’s worth remembering that you may receive less one-to-one support and companionship in a care home than you would with a live-in caregiver.

So, while live-in care isn’t what you could call “cheap,” it can help older adults maintain familiar routines and more independence.

To get a shortlist of all the live-in care agencies that operate in your area, why not complete this short form and let Autumna select a few that will be able to meet your specific needs and budget.

What does a live-in carer do?

Once the cost is settled, what types of support can you look forward to from a live-in caregiver?

Live-in care can make life a lot easier in later life, with much less hassle for you to worry about when it comes to looking after the home.

In many cases, the tasks a live-in caregiver helps with can be adapted to your preferences and needs. Here is a list of the most common tasks:

• 24-hour support for any emergencies
• Chats and companionship
• Kitchen duties, e.g. cooking, dishwashing
• Laundry, ironing, and changing bed sheets
• Light gardening
• Medication management
• Paying bills
• Personal care, e.g. showering and dressing
• Shopping and trips out
• Tidying the home
• Pet care

What’s the Average Cost of Home Care?

Hiring a live-in caregiver can often be a worthwhile investment, but how does the cost of live-in care in the UK compare with other home care services?

Well, the first thing to note is that social care is rarely free. As Age UK recommends, if you’re not sure whether you need to pay for care, it’s best to ask your local council for a financial means test.

In England, you will be classified as a “self-funder” if you have more than £23,250 in assets. The same threshold is in place for Northern Ireland, but it’s higher in both Scotland (£28,000) and Wales (£50,000).

The cost of home care services can vary considerably in different parts of the UK.

Elder reports that the average cost for home care (or “domiciliary care”) ranges from £10 to £30 per hour during the day. Age UK, meanwhile, puts the average at around £15 per hour.

Cost calculator for local home care to you

If you’re based in England and want to get an estimate of what the cost of home care per hour is in your area, use this local care cost calculator.

Simply select “Home Care” from the options and type in your postcode. You’ll be prompted to answer a couple of short questions before the results appear.

Autumna's advice line - Here for you 7 days a week...

We hope that you now have a better idea of how much live-in care costs in the UK, and how it compares with standard home care.

If you need more help though, the Autumna advice line is open 7 days a week and our friendly staff will be more than happy to help you further.

We’re also able to respond to your queries via email: info@autumna.co.uk

Why not let Autumna send you a shortlist of live-in care agencies in your area?

Autumna lists every live-in care provider in the UK. If you would like some help finding the right one for you, why not complete this quick and easy form. We can then send you a shortlist of live-in care providers in your area who can meet your needs.