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ENA Care Group
Suite 2 Wentworth Lodge
Great North Road
Welwyn Garden City
Herts AL8 7SR

How much does live-in care cost?

Jun 18, 2018

Price is a key consideration when you are choosing at-home care. The exact cost of a live-in carer will depend on the level of care and the amount of care you need.

live-in care can often be more cost effective than residential care, but it’s important to determine your budget and the cost of live-in care before committing to this option.

With all care options available, from 24-hour live-in care and hourly care to specialist care including:

Our costs are based on your individual needs.

Costs for our live-in care service starts from:

  1. £1000 per week for an individual
  2. £1400 per week for a couple

The cost of live-in care for couples

The cost of live-in care for couples is often significantly more cost effective than the fees of a residential care home, as you only pay one fee for a live-in carer, whereas you would have to cover the cost of two places in a residential care home.

For a couple in a residential care home, fees are around  £1,786 per week, based on a cost of £900 per person, per week. The cost of a live-in carer is considerably less, at around £1400 per week for a couple.

The value of live-in care compared to residential care

A live-in carer provides continuous support in your familiar home surroundings, compared to a care home where staff are often stretched to capacity. A live-in carer can also accompany you to appointments, social events and days out when you need them to – an option which may not be possible in a residential care home.

Opting for live-in care rather than moving to a residential care home means you can continue your familiar routines and minimise disruption to your lifestyle. You’ll also avoid the upheaval of moving home.

The costs of hourly care compared to live-in care

Also known as domiciliary care, the costs of hourly care can quickly exceed those of a live-in carer. If you have hourly care in place but you are finding you need more visits each day, live-in care with its many benefits may be a better option.

The costs of hourly care can quickly exceed those of a live-in carer. On average, visits from a domiciliary care provider can cost around £96 per day, rising if you also need the carer to drive you to appointments. In comparison, a live-in carer will cost around £1000 per week.

To find out more about the costs of our specialist live-in care or for further information on how we can support you with live-in care, please just get in touch with our team, who will be more than happy to help you.

We guarantee that there will be no hidden costs or added extras in our fees, just specialist care from a carefully selected carer who will understand your routine, your needs and your choices in life.

How to get help with funding care

When considering live-in care, one of your first thoughts will be to question how much live-in care costs and how you are going to pay for it. If you have less than £23,250 in savings, you might be eligible for the local council to pay towards the cost of funding your care. Your council will do a needs assessment to find out how much help you need. The amount the council will pay will depend on your care needs and how much you can afford to pay.

The NHS could also help with funding if you have substantial care needs. In this case, you need to complete an NHS Continuing Healthcare checklist to see if you are eligible for ongoing NHS funded support. You can do this through your GP.

How much does 24-hour live-in care cost?

We usually provide fully flexible live-in care for approximately eight hours, spread across 24 hours, seven days per week. However, if you need more than eight hours of care in a 24-hour period, that’s no problem at all. Our additional live-in carers can support you through the whole day, as well as through the night.

Our care is wholly tailored to your specific needs. If you want to know exactly how much 24-hour live-in care would cost when considering your needs, then we can complete a care assessment free of charge and this will enable us to outline an accurate care fee. You should then prepare for those care costs to rise annually by approximately 3%, in line with inflation.

Will the council pay for live-in care?

Your council will do a means test after they have carried out a care needs assessment, which will assess whether you’re eligible for live-in care at home. They will consider your savings and income in the means test, but they won’t consider the value of your property for live-in care costs.

The means test works out whether you or the council pay the full cost or whether the council makes a contribution towards the cost of your care.

What benefits can you claim for live-in care?

Your care and financial needs are highly individual, so this will vary from person to person. Benefits such as pensions and disability benefits may not be counted in the means test, but when you arrange live-in care, you must declare it to your local council immediately if you are receiving any benefits. This is because you may be entitled to some different benefits.

Examples of benefits that you might claim include:

  • Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Industrial Injuries Disablement
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Constant Attendance Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Disability Premiums