DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
How much does live-in care cost per week in the UK?
Live-in care means a carer lives in the home full time, so someone is there day and night to help with daily life. For many families it is the alternative to a care home, letting a relative stay in familiar surroundings with their own routine. It is priced per week rather than per hour, and while the headline figure looks large next to a single home care visit, it can compare well with residential care or nursing care once you factor in what round-the-clock support really involves.
The quick version
- Live-in care is a full-time carer in the home, priced per week rather than by the hour.
- For a couple, one carer can often support both people for a modest extra charge, which changes the maths.
- Weekly costs can be similar to a good residential care or nursing care home, with the person staying in their own house.
- Higher needs, night-time waking or two-carer tasks push the price up.
- Council funding after a means test and NHS Continuing Healthcare can both apply, just as they do for a care home.
What people actually paid
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 28% less than the advertised list price for live-in care.
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
Real prices, in people's own words
- £800“The cost (7 years ago) was in the region of £800 per week.”
- £1,000“At that time, about 5 years ago, a ball park figure was £1000 a week.”
- £1,300“I think that would have been about £1,300 a week.”
- £2,000“24 hour care at home would have been well over £2000 per week.”
Genuine amounts posted publicly. We publish the price and the quote, never the person.
Why the price varies so much
The weekly price of live-in care turns mostly on how much support the person needs. Someone who mainly wants company and help with meals costs less than someone who needs help moving, personal care through the day and support at night. Night-time waking is a common tipping point, because a carer who is up repeatedly cannot rest, and agencies often add a second carer or a night rate to cover it. Location and the agency's model matter too, and buying privately usually costs more per week than a council-arranged package. The comparison that really counts is with a care home. Because a family home has no hotel-style overheads to spread across many residents, live-in care can land close to residential care fees while keeping the person in their own house, which is why running the two figures side by side is worth doing.
How to pay less
- Compare the weekly live-in rate against the true cost of a care home place for the same level of need.
- If it is for a couple, ask for the couples' rate rather than paying twice.
- Ask the council for a needs and financial assessment, since live-in care can be council funded like any other care.
- Request an NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment where health needs are high, because it can cover the full cost.
- Check what the weekly fee covers, such as the carer's food and breaks, and whether night waking costs extra.
Common questions
Is live-in care cheaper than a care home?
It is often in the same range rather than dramatically cheaper, and for a couple it can work out clearly better value, because one carer can support two people for far less than two care home places. The real appeal for many families is not the price but staying at home. It is worth pricing both properly before deciding.
Can I get funding for live-in care?
Yes, on the same basis as other care. If your capital is below the upper capital limit, the council may contribute after a means test. Where health needs are high, NHS Continuing Healthcare can cover the whole cost, at home as well as in a care home. Attendance Allowance can also help and is not means tested.
What does the weekly live-in fee actually cover?
Usually a single carer living in and supporting one person through the day, with daily breaks and their own room and food provided by the household. Extra costs commonly arise for repeated night-time waking, for a second carer where two are needed for safe moving, and for very high needs. Always ask for these to be spelled out in writing.