What home care costs, and who pays for it
Rates start from £25, and what you actually pay depends on how much help is needed and how often. Here is what drives that, and what help exists towards paying for it.
Rates start from £25
For a half-hour visit. Available seven days a week, tailored to your needs.
With visits from 30 minutes — we don’t impose a one-hour minimum.
- A named carer who comes back, not a different face each week
- Travel between visits — you are not charged for it
- A written care plan, agreed before anything starts
- A free home assessment with no obligation
What moves the price
How long each visit is
The single biggest factor. A 30-minute call and a two-hour visit are different prices for obvious reasons.
How many visits a week
More visits usually means a better rate per visit, because the travel is spread across more of them.
When they happen
Early mornings, evenings, weekends and bank holidays cost more, because carers are paid more to work them.
Whether one carer or two
Some moving and handling needs two people present. It is a safety requirement, not an upsell.
Overnight or waking nights
A sleeping night and a waking night are priced completely differently. We will explain which one is actually needed.
Help that might be available
A lot of people pay privately who did not have to. It is always worth asking these four questions before you assume.
A local authority needs assessment
Anyone can ask their council for a free assessment of their care needs, regardless of income. If needs are eligible, a separate financial assessment works out what the council pays and what you pay. Which council depends on your address — Cheshire East, or Cheshire West and Chester.
NHS Continuing Healthcare
If someone's needs are primarily health needs rather than social care needs, the NHS may fund care in full. It is worth asking about, particularly after a significant hospital admission.
Attendance Allowance
A non-means-tested benefit for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care. It is not affected by savings, and a lot of people who qualify never claim it.
Carer's Allowance
For family members providing substantial unpaid care. Worth checking if you are the one doing the looking after.
Already funded? We can take it over
We work with both local authority and NHS Continuing Healthcare funding. If you already have continuing care in place, we can take over your care needs.
We are a care provider, not a financial adviser, and we are independent of the council and the NHS. Nothing on this page is financial advice — it is a starting point so you know what to ask about. For impartial guidance, Age UK and Citizens Advice are both free.
Start with a free visit, not a commitment
We come out, meet you at home and talk through what would actually help. There is no charge for the visit and no obligation at the end of it.