How Much Does Live-in Care Cost Per Week?

If you’re looking into live-in care for yourself or a loved one, one of the first questions you’ll probably have is: how much does it cost?

Independent People Live-in Care’s current prices start from £1,195 per week for one person. Standard live-in care costs £1,395-£1,495 per week, while care for couples is £1,495 per week.

These are starting prices rather than fixed fees. The cost of care depends on the support needed, how often it’s required and how long the arrangement is for.

This guide explains what’s included in the weekly cost, what can affect the price, how live-in care compares with a care home and some of the ways care can be funded.

Live-in Care Costs Per Week

Our current prices are:

These are starting prices rather than fixed quotes. A free care assessment helps us understand your needs, routines and the level of support required before we provide a personalised written quote.

What Affects the Price?

The cost of live-in care depends on the care and support involved.

Some of the things that can affect the price include:

• Support during the day and night: Help with washing, dressing and meals is different from care involving more frequent supervision, specialist support or more than one carer.
• The support your loved one needs: A diagnosis on its own doesn’t determine the price. Someone living with dementia, recovering after a hospital stay or receiving palliative care may need different levels of support.
• Complex health needs: Where someone needs clinical input, nurse-led support may be appropriate and is priced separately.
• How long care is needed: Short-term respite care is priced differently from an ongoing live-in care arrangement.
• Where you live: Location can affect the cost, including travel expenses.

The easiest way to understand what live-in care would cost for your family is to arrange an assessment and ask for a written quote.

What Does the Weekly Cost Include?

Your live-in carer’s role is based around the care plan agreed with you and your loved one.

Depending on their needs, they can help with:

• Personal care: Washing, dressing, using the toilet and skin care, while respecting privacy and personal routines.
• Medication: Reminders and record-keeping and, where this is included in the care plan and the carer has the appropriate training, administering medication.
• Meals and drinks: Shopping, preparing meals your loved one enjoys and helping them stay hydrated.
• Mobility: Supporting safe movement around the home, helping with appointments and supporting exercises recommended by a physiotherapist.
• Companionship: Conversation, hobbies, outings and spending time doing things your loved one enjoys.
• Household tasks: Light housekeeping, laundry and keeping the rooms your loved one uses tidy

The aim is to support your loved one with the things they need help with, while helping them remain as independent as possible.

Support From Our Care Team

Live-in care isn’t just about the carer who lives in the home.

With our fully managed service, the wider Independent People Live-in Care team remains involved throughout the arrangement. We employ and supervise our carers, carefully match them to your loved one’s needs and personality, keep electronic care records, carry out reviews and checks, and arrange cover when a carer is on holiday or off sick.

Independent People Live-in Care is regulated by the Care Quality Commission in England and rated Good across all five key areas.

If your loved one has more complex needs, our nurse-led complex care service can provide additional clinical assessment and oversight.

This doesn’t mean a registered nurse lives in the home. Nurses assess the support needed, help oversee training and review care, while any delegated healthcare task depends on the individual’s needs and the carer’s training and competence.

Is Live-in Care the Same as 24-Hour Care?

No. Having a live-in carer doesn’t mean they work continuously for 24 hours a day.

Your carer lives in your loved one’s home, stays overnight and can provide occasional night-time support where this is agreed as part of the care plan. They also need regular breaks and enough time to sleep.

If your loved one regularly needs someone to be awake and providing care throughout the night, they may need waking-night support. This is usually provided by additional carers working on a rota and will change the cost of care.

It’s important to talk about night-time needs during the assessment so the care arrangement reflects the support your loved one actually needs.

What Extra Costs Should You Budget For?

The live-in care fee covers the agreed care and support, but there are some household costs you’ll continue to pay separately.

Your carer will need a suitable private bedroom in the home, and you’ll need to agree how their meals will be provided. Household bills, food and your usual housing costs remain part of your household budget.

There may also be additional costs depending on your loved one’s circumstances, such as travel, extra overnight support or equipment.

Ask for a written breakdown of the quote so you know what’s included, what would cost extra and how the fee would be reviewed if your loved one’s needs change.

How Do Live-in Care Costs Compare With a Care Home?

It’s helpful to compare the total cost of each option rather than simply looking at the weekly care fee.

A residential care home generally includes accommodation and meals alongside personal care. A nursing home also provides nursing support.

With live-in care, your loved one stays in their own home. Household bills and food remain separate from the care fee, and the live-in carer needs their own bedroom.

The care home figures are UK averages from carehome.co.uk, with the page updated in July 2026 and underlying data dated September 2025. They’re useful as a guide, but fees vary considerably depending on location and the individual care home.

For couples, it’s particularly important to compare the cost of two care home places with a personalised live-in care quote. One carer may be able to support both people at home, but this depends on their individual needs.

Cost is only one part of the decision. You may also want to think about where your loved one feels most comfortable, whether they want to remain at home and what their day-to-day life would look like in each setting.

How to Pay for Live-in Care

The funding information below applies to England. Scotland and Wales have different arrangements, so check the rules that apply where you live.

There are several ways care may be funded, depending on your circumstances.

Council and NHS Funding

Your local council can carry out a free care needs assessment and, where appropriate, a financial assessment.

For 2026/27, the standard upper capital limit is £23,250. Councils can set a higher limit for care provided at home, and your income and assessed care needs will also be taken into account.

The value of your home isn’t included in the financial assessment when care is being provided there.

If you qualify for council funding, you may be able to use a personal budget or direct payment towards live-in care, depending on the arrangements agreed with your council.

NHS Continuing Healthcare is a separate route for adults assessed as having a primary health need. It isn’t means-tested and can fund care at home where someone meets the eligibility criteria.

Eligibility depends on your loved one’s overall health and care needs rather than their diagnosis. The assessment usually starts with a checklist, while urgent cases may be fast-tracked.

Benefits

Attendance Allowance may be available to people who have reached State Pension age and need help with personal care or supervision.

It isn’t means-tested and, in 2026/27, pays £76.70 or £114.60 a week depending on the level of help needed.

The arrangements are different in Scotland, where new applicants claim Pension Age Disability Payment.

If you’re below State Pension age, you may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment, or Adult Disability Payment in Scotland.

Savings and Financial Products

Some families use savings or pension income to pay for care. If your loved one has an existing long-term care insurance policy, this may also contribute towards the cost.

An immediate needs annuity can turn a lump sum into a regular income to help cover care costs.

Equity release is another option that some people consider when funding care at home. It’s a long-term financial commitment and can affect benefits and the value of your estate.

If you’re considering an annuity or equity release, speak to a suitably qualified financial adviser before making a decision.

Charities

Some charities and benevolent funds offer financial help with care costs. Eligibility may depend on things such as a person’s former occupation or health condition.

The Turn2us Grants Search can help you find grants and funds you may be able to apply for.

You can also read our guide to funding your care for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is live-in care cheaper than a care home?

It can be, but there isn’t one answer for everyone.

Live-in care costs vary depending on the support your loved one needs, while care home fees vary between homes and locations.

When comparing the two, look at the total weekly cost, including household expenses and any additional support needed at home. Also check exactly what is included in a care home’s fee.

Who employs the carer?

Independent People Live-in Care employs and supervises your live-in carer, so you don’t need to manage their employment, payroll or holiday arrangements yourself.

You pay one weekly fee, plus any agreed additional costs.

Can direct payments or NHS funding be used with a private provider?

This depends on the funding arrangement and what has been agreed in your care and support plan.

If your local authority provides a direct payment, it may be possible to use this towards care from an approved private provider.

NHS Continuing Healthcare can fund an agreed package of care, but you can’t privately top up the NHS-funded package itself. Separate privately arranged services may be possible in some circumstances.

Talk to your funding body about what applies to your individual situation.

Does dementia live-in care cost more?

Not automatically. The cost depends on the support your loved one needs rather than their diagnosis alone. Someone living with dementia may need more supervision, reassurance, personal care or support at night, which can affect the quote.

The assessment will look at their individual needs so that the care arrangement can be planned around them.

Talk to Us About Live-in Care Costs

You don’t need to have every detail worked out before getting in touch. Independent People Live-in Care offers a free care assessment and a personalised written quote. We can talk through what your loved one needs, explain what’s included and answer your questions about the cost.

Call 0800 471 4741 or complete our enquiry form. There’s no obligation to arrange care. It’s simply a chance to talk things through and understand whether live-in care could be right for you or your loved one.