What home care costs in England
Visiting care is priced by the hour. Live-in care is priced by the week. Almost everything else you will read about care costs is about care homes, which is a different product at a different price.
The floor
The Homecare Association publishes a minimum price each year: the least an agency can charge and still pay its carers lawfully. For 2026-27 in England that is £34.42 an hour.
It covers careworker pay at the statutory minimum for all working time including travel, mileage, wage-related costs, and the minimum cost of running a compliant care business.
A quote well below that is not a bargain. It usually means the carer is not paid for the time spent travelling between visits, which is the single biggest reason good carers leave an agency, and carer turnover is what families end up complaining about.
What that costs in practice
At the minimum price of £34.42 an hour.
| Package | Hours a week | A week | A month |
|---|---|---|---|
| One hour a day | 7 | £241 | £1,043 |
| Two visits a day, half an hour each | 7 | £241 | £1,043 |
| Two hours a day | 14 | £482 | £2,087 |
| Four visits a day, half an hour each | 14 | £482 | £2,087 |
| Morning and evening, an hour each | 14 | £482 | £2,087 |
Monthly figures assume 4.33 weeks. Most agencies charge more at weekends and on bank holidays, and many have a minimum visit length.
What providers on this site charge
No provider has published a rate on this site yet. We need at least 8 in an area before publishing an average, because a figure drawn from three agencies says more about who filled in a form than about what care costs. Until then the Homecare Association figure above is the better guide.
Who pays
- Your council may pay some or all of it, depending on a financial assessment. Ask them for a needs assessment first: it is free and it is your right.
- Direct payments mean the council gives you the money and you choose the agency. Not every agency accepts them, so check before you get attached to one.
- NHS continuing healthcare covers the full cost where needs are primarily medical. It is worth asking about and frequently is not offered.
- Attendance Allowance is not means tested and does not depend on savings. A lot of people who qualify never claim it.
Costs where you live
- Glasgow
- Birmingham
- Edinburgh
- Leicester
- Nottingham
- Manchester
- Leeds
- Bristol
- Milton Keynes
- Coventry
- Liverpool
- Northampton
- Sheffield
- Southampton
- Wolverhampton
- Peterborough
- Derby
- Aberdeen
Minimum price figure published by the Homecare Association for 2026-27, England. homecareassociation.org.uk. Rates shown from provider listings are what those providers chose to publish and are not verified by us.