Choosing the right care home for you
Your care home should be a happy and comfortable place to live. Choosing the right one can be a big decision – but...
If you pay for care privately, the cost depends on the type of care you need and the prices charged by care providers in your area. Before arranging care privately, you should check whether you're entitled to help with care costs from your local council. This depends on a care needs assessment and a financial assessment.
Privately arranged care in your own home can cost around £25 per hour, and residential care can cost around £800 a week for a place in a care home and £1,078 a week for a place in a nursing home. However, it's important to remember that these are average figures – you may pay more or less than this, depending on what local care providers charge.
This page explains where you can get more information about arranging and paying for care and getting help with care costs.
A good first step is to get in touch with your local council's social services department to arrange a care needs assessment. This identifies what kind of social care would meet your needs.
Find out more about the care needs assessment
Home care services aren't usually free. How you pay for your home care depends on lots of different factors.
Find out more about paying for home care
Paying for residential care can be very expensive. You may be eligible for financial help from your local council or, in some cases, from the NHS.
We offer support through our free advice line on 0800 678 1602. Lines are open 8am-7pm, 365 days a year. We also have specialist advisers at over 120 local Age UKs.
Your care home should be a happy and comfortable place to live. Choosing the right one can be a big decision – but...
Care home fees will vary depending on the area, the care home and your own financial circumstances.
'Deprivation of assets' is when someone reduces their assets (such as money, property or income) on purpose so that...
If your choice of care home accommodation costs more than your local council is willing to pay, someone else can make...
Find out more about how paying for social care works with Age UK.
If you’re not happy with your or a friend or relative’s care home, there are steps you can take. Want more...