Choosing care
What affects the cost of care at home?
Home care is priced around the person, not from a menu. This guide explains the factors that shape a quote, so you can understand it and plan a budget that the family can keep up.
We don't publish a price list, because two people asking for "care" can need very different things. A quote follows an assessment, so it reflects the person's actual needs, the arrangement that suits them and where they live. You always receive the quote before care starts, and nothing is charged for care you haven't agreed.
The main factors
| Factor | Why it affects cost |
|---|---|
| Visiting or live-in | Visits are priced around their number and length; live-in care covers a caregiver living in the home |
| Hours and number of visits | More visits, or longer ones, mean more caregiver time |
| Nights | Help during the night, or someone awake at night, changes the arrangement |
| Nursing tasks | Tasks that need a nurse, such as giving medicines or wound care, involve a nurse's time and skills |
| Two people for some tasks | Some transfers or personal care need two people to be safe |
| Location and travel | Distance, road access and travel time to the home |
| How long care is needed | A few weeks of recovery support is planned differently from long-term care |
| Equipment and consumables | Items such as continence pads, dressings or a commode are usually bought by the family |
| Extra activities | Outings, transport and event attendance may carry their own costs |
Visiting or live-in
This is usually the biggest single factor. With visiting care, cost depends on how many visits are needed and how long each lasts. With live-in care, a caregiver lives in the home and the arrangement includes their rest breaks and time off. For some families, a few well-planned visits are enough; for others, the hours needed make live-in care the more practical arrangement.
Caregiver or nurse
Much day-to-day help, such as washing, dressing, meals and company, is provided by caregivers. Clinical tasks such as giving injections, wound care or catheter care need a nurse. Many care plans combine the two: a caregiver for daily support, with nurse visits for the clinical tasks.
Nights
If the person needs help during the night, the plan has to cover it. Being available in case of need is different from being awake and working all night, and the quote will make clear which is included.
Where the person lives
Travel time and distance affect how visits can be scheduled, and whether short visits are practical. When you enquire, we check whether we can provide care in the person's area at all.
Costs that are usually separate
It helps to know in advance which costs are normally paid directly by the family:
- groceries and household supplies;
- medicines and medical supplies such as dressings or continence products;
- equipment, such as a walking frame, commode, shower chair or special mattress;
- transport costs for outings and appointments, and entry fees;
- for live-in care, practical arrangements such as the caregiver's meals, which are discussed and agreed in the plan.
The care plan sets out exactly what the fee covers and what it doesn't.
Planning a budget that lasts
Care often continues for months or years, so it's worth thinking beyond the first few weeks.
- Start with needs, not hours. Work out when help is really needed. Help at the right times can be more useful, and more affordable, than long blocks of time.
- Combine family and paid support. Family members may cover some parts of the day or week, with paid care filling the gaps.
- Share costs fairly. Families with relatives abroad often split costs; agree it openly and in writing, so no one is left carrying more than expected.
- Plan for change. Needs usually increase over time. Ask how the plan, and the price, would change if more help were needed.
- Keep records. Receipts for every payment make it easier to share costs and avoid disputes.
Questions to ask about any quote
- What exactly is included, visit by visit or day by day?
- What is not included, and what will we need to buy?
- Who provides each part of the care: a caregiver or a nurse?
- How are nights, public holidays and family events handled?
- How much notice is needed to change or end the arrangement?
- How are changes in the person's needs reflected in the plan and the price?
- How and when are payments made, and what receipts do we receive?
Comparing options fairly
If you're comparing arrangements or providers, make sure you're comparing the same thing. Two quotes can look very different simply because they cover different hours, tasks or staff.
- Check the hours and tasks line by line. A lower figure may cover fewer visits or leave out tasks you need.
- Check who provides each task. Clinical tasks should be carried out by a nurse, which affects both safety and cost.
- Check what happens at night and at weekends.
- Check what is excluded, such as supplies, transport or equipment, and add those costs to your budget.
- Ask how changes are handled, because almost every care arrangement changes over time.
Getting a quote
The path is simple: a short request, a callback, an assessment, and then a written care plan with a quote. You can take your time, ask questions and compare options before deciding anything.
This guide is general information, not medical advice for a particular person. Talk to the person's doctor about their health, treatment and medicines.