Check a home care quote
Average home care hourly rates in the UK
Start with the broad guide range if you are still comparing options, or use the quote checker if you already have a weekly or hourly price.
Home care costs UK
Home care costs UK: prices, hourly rates and weekly costs
There is no single UK homecare price list. Home care prices usually start with an hourly rate, but the real cost depends on visit length, how many visits are needed each day, whether weekends are included, and whether there is overnight or double-up support.
CareGauge UK currently uses a broad home-care guide range of £28 to £36 an hour for personal care at home. That is only the starting point. The weekly total often matters more than the headline hourly rate because short, frequent visits can turn a modest-looking price into a much higher bill over a full week.
Price-list searches
Is there a home care price list?
Not really. Most providers do not work from one simple public price list that tells you the final weekly cost. The total usually depends on how the care package is arranged and what is included beyond the basic rate.
Hourly rates vs weekly costs
Hourly rates do not always show the real weekly cost
Two providers can quote similar hourly rates and still end up far apart over a full week. Several short visits each day often cost more overall than fewer longer visits, even when the headline hourly rate looks similar.
Why prices vary
What can make home care prices look far apart?
Local authority rates, private-pay quotes, short visits, weekends, travel, and more complex support needs are all describing different things. That is why one very low figure may not reflect what a self-funder is actually being quoted.
What often moves the total
What makes home care pricing go up?
- Short visits often carry a higher effective hourly cost than longer blocks of time.
- Several calls a day can push up the weekly total even if the headline hourly rate looks reasonable.
- Weekend cover, bank holidays, travel, and admin fees may sit outside the basic rate.
- Two-carer visits, overnight support, and more complex care needs can change the price quickly.
Compare the right pages
Compare home care with broader care-cost guides
- Is the quote based on contact time only, or the full booked time?
- Are travel, assessment, or setup fees charged separately?
- Are weekends or bank holidays priced differently?
- Does the quote assume any double-up care or overnight support?
If you are still comparing care types, start with the UK care costs guide. If you want to compare care at home with care-home fees, read care home costs UK. For wider background on funding or benefits, the care costs and funding guides page is the best place to go next.
Questions to ask before agreeing
Use these to pressure-test a home care quote
- What exactly is included in the price I have been given?
- How many visits a day is this quote based on?
- Would the weekly total change if visits were longer or less fragmented?
- Are there minimum hours, minimum spend, or cancellation charges?
- What would most likely make this package cost more later?
Ready to check it?
Check a home care quote against the guide range
The calculator is most useful when you want to see whether the weekly total makes sense for the visit pattern you have actually been given.