Home care prices: what to expect
Home care prices in England depend on who is paying and where you live. The Homecare Association says providers need at least £34.42 an hour in 2026/27, while councils and the NHS paid an average of £24.10 an hour for the care they funded in 2025/26. Rates also vary by time of day and need.
This guide is general information, not advice.
Home care prices per hour
The Homecare Association, the trade body for home care providers, publishes an annual "Minimum Price for Homecare" for England. It is a cost calculation: the hourly rate it says providers need to charge to cover the National Living Wage, National Insurance and running a compliant, sustainable service. For 2026/27 it is £34.42 an hour, up from £32.14 in 2025/26.
The Homecare Association also reports that the average fee paid by councils and the NHS for home care in 2025/26 was £24.10 an hour. That is what they paid for the care they fund; the Homecare Association says it is below what providers need, a gap it describes as underfunding. Private rates are set by each provider.
Age UK's current guidance (checked September 2026) says homecare "typically costs around £25 per hour", though it notes this varies by location and type of care.
Local authorities in England reported a weighted-average 5.3% increase in the fee rates they paid home care providers in 2025/26 compared with the year before.
What changes the cost of in-home care
- Type of visit. Short "check-in" visits often cost less per visit than an hour-long call, though some providers set a minimum visit length.
- Time of day. Evening, weekend and bank holiday visits are often charged at a higher rate than weekday daytime visits.
- Level of need. Personal care and medication support usually cost more than companionship or help with household tasks. Nursing tasks need a registered nurse; see nursing home costs for NHS-funded nursing care, and dementia care costs for dementia-specific support.
- How many hours a week. Home help costs for a few hours a week are usually far lower in total than round-the-clock support; if you need continuous cover, our guide to live-in carer costs may be more relevant.
What overnight care costs
There is no single reliable published figure for what an overnight carer costs, because it is often priced separately from daytime visits and varies by provider and by whether the carer stays awake or sleeps during the night. Ask any provider for an overnight quote based on your own circumstances.
Home help costs and council funding
After a free needs assessment, a council financial assessment looks at your income and capital to decide what you pay towards care at home; the value of your home is not counted. In England, the council must leave you with a minimum weekly income after charging for care at home, called the Minimum Income Guarantee. The amount is set nationally each year and depends on your age and household, and the council can tell you the figure that applies to you. Our guide to paying for care options explains the wider financial assessment, including the capital limits.
Wales sets a weekly maximum charge of £100 for care and support at home (unchanged since 2024/25); nobody should pay more than this themselves, with the council covering the rest.
Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own rules; check with your local council or health and social care trust.
Some homeowners look at property wealth to pay for care at home. Equity release is a loan: interest usually rolls up, so the debt grows, less is left for your estate, and released cash can affect means-tested support. A plan usually ends when the last borrower moves permanently into care; see equity release for care fees.
Private carer cost versus a care home
A private carer arranged for a few hours a week generally costs less overall than residential care, but round-the-clock hourly visits can approach or exceed the cost of a live-in carer or a care home once enough hours are added up. Our guides to live-in care costs and care home costs set out those figures so you can compare total costs for your own situation.
Next steps
A council needs assessment is free and is the first step towards any council funding. An FCA-regulated adviser or a specialist care fees adviser can explain how home care compares with other options, including live-in care or a care home. We do not provide financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much does home care cost per hour in England?
There is no single price. The Homecare Association calculates that providers in England need at least £34.42 an hour in 2026/27, up from £32.14 in 2025/26. Councils and the NHS paid an average of £24.10 an hour for the care they funded in 2025/26. Age UK's current guidance (checked September 2026) gives around £25 an hour. Private rates are set by each provider.
Why do councils pay less than the Homecare Association's minimum price?
The minimum price is the Homecare Association's calculation of what providers need to cover wages, National Insurance and running costs. The £24.10 average for 2025/26 is what councils and the NHS actually paid for the care they fund. The Homecare Association says the gap between the two shows underfunding of state-funded home care.
How much does overnight care cost?
There is no single reliable published figure, because overnight care is often priced separately from daytime visits and depends on whether the carer stays awake or sleeps during the night, and on the provider. Ask any care provider for an overnight quote based on your circumstances, and check what the rate includes.
Does the Homecare Association minimum price apply outside England?
No. The Homecare Association calculates its minimum price for England, and the council fee figures on this page are for England too. Wales caps what someone pays for care at home at £100 a week, Scotland provides personal and nursing care free to people assessed as needing it, and Northern Ireland generally provides care at home without charge.
What is the Minimum Income Guarantee for care at home?
It is the weekly amount of income a council in England must leave someone with after charging them for care and support at home. It does not apply to care home residents. The amount is set nationally each year and depends on age and household, so the council can confirm the figure that applies after its financial assessment.