14 PRICES TRACKED
Home care visit (per hour)
A carer visiting at home, priced per hour. The building block of a home-care package.
Every price we track (hover a dot)
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 23% less than the advertised list price for home care (hourly).
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
Quoted vs actually paid (real submissions)
The strongest signal there is: what one person was quoted, and what the same job actually cost them.
- quoted £13↔paid £130%
Family paid a relative roughly half the going agency rate for 20 hours a week of care.
- quoted £15↔paid £150%
- quoted £21↔paid £210%
- quoted £25↔paid £250%
Poster gave a range of roughly £18-25 an hour; upper figure used.
- quoted £25↔paid £250%
- quoted £26↔paid £260%
Poster gave a range of roughly £24-28 an hour; midpoint used.
| Year | Region | Provider | What it was | List | Paid | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | UK | Unknown | Family member paid to provide careFamily paid a relative roughly half the going agency rate for 20 hours a week of care. | — | £13quoted £13 | source |
| 2024 | Oxfordshire | Unknown | Home care agency, fee included | — | £15quoted £15 | source |
| 2024 | North West England | Unknown | Private home care visit | — | £21quoted £21 | source |
| 2025 | UK unspecified | Unknown | Home care visit, per hourActual average hourly rate paid by councils in England (below the recommended minimum) | £24 | — | source |
| 2025 | England | Unknown | Home care, average council-paid rateAverage fee rate paid by English local authorities for state-funded homecare, 2025-26, versus the sector's recommended minimum of £32.14. | £24survey avg | — | source |
| 2026 | UK unspecified | Unknown | Home care visit, per hourAge UK self-funder guide figure | £25 | — | source |
| 2024 | Gloucestershire | Unknown | Private home care agencyPoster gave a range of roughly £18-25 an hour; upper figure used. | — | £25quoted £25 | source |
| 2024 | London | Unknown | Private home care visit | — | £25quoted £25 | source |
| 2024 | Bristol | Unknown | Private home care agencyPoster gave a range of roughly £24-28 an hour; midpoint used. | — | £26quoted £26 | source |
| 2026 | UK unspecified | Care chain | Home care visit, per hourTrinity Homecare advertised self-funder visiting rate | £28 | — | source |
| 2025 | UK unspecified | Unknown | Home care visit, per hourTypical self-funder going rate; range quoted £26-£38 per hour | £30 | — | source |
| 2025 | UK unspecified | Unknown | Home care visit, per hourHomecare Association minimum sustainable price for 2025-26 (what councils should pay) | £32 | — | source |
| 2025 | England | Unknown | Home care, minimum sustainable priceUK Homecare Association's Minimum Price for Homecare, England, April 2025 to March 2026. | £32 | — | source |
| 2026 | UK unspecified | Care chain | Home care visit, per hourHelping Hands (national agency) advertised visiting care rate; plus £4.50 per-visit call-out fee | £32 | — | source |
Common questions
How much does home care (hourly) cost in the UK?
Across 14 real UK prices, the median is £25, ranging from £13 to £32. These are published prices and bills people actually paid, not estimates.
Why do home care (hourly) prices vary so much?
Care fees depend on the type of care, the home, the area, and whether you fund it yourself or the council does. Self-funders routinely pay far more than the council rate for the same room.
How can I pay less for home care (hourly)?
Ask for the full weekly fee in writing including any top-ups, compare several homes, check the council rate for your area, and get a care-needs assessment before you commit.
Related free guides
- How much does home care cost per hour in the UK? →
- Home care vs a care home: the real weekly cost →
- How much does a care home cost per week in the UK? →
- How much does nursing care cost per week in the UK? →
- How much does dementia care cost per week in the UK? →
- How much does live-in care cost per week in the UK? →
Methodology: prices here are published prices and bills people reported paying. Each row says which it is, with a link to the source where one exists. We never estimate and no sponsor can touch a number. Spot an error? Tell us and we will fix or remove it fast.