How much does a care home cost in the UK?

As a rough guide, residential care (help with everyday tasks like washing, dressing and meals) typically costs around £900 to £1,400 per week. Nursing care (the same support plus 24-hour care from registered nurses) typically costs around £1,200 to £1,800 per week. These are typical ranges, they vary a lot by region, and London and the South East sit at the top end or above it.

Homes providing specialist dementia care often charge more than standard residential care, because they need higher staffing levels and carefully designed environments. If your parent has dementia, ask each home how its dementia fees differ from its standard fees.

You can browse residential care homes and nursing homes near your parent to see what is available. If you are not yet sure which type they need, our guide to nursing homes versus residential homes explains the difference in plain terms.

Care home fees are almost always quoted per week, which can make them feel more manageable than they are. It helps to translate the weekly figure into an annual one before you make any decisions. A fee of £1,000 per week is £52,000 per year. A fee of £1,500 per week is £78,000 per year.

This matters because care home stays often last years, not months. If your parent will be paying some or all of the cost themselves, the annual figure tells you how long their savings might last and when the council might start to contribute. Our guide to who pays for care explains the thresholds.

Two care homes on the same street can charge very different fees. It is not always obvious why, so here are the main drivers:

• Location. Property and staff costs feed straight into fees, so differences between regions are large. London and the South East are consistently the most expensive.
• Type of care. Nursing care costs more than residential care because registered nurses are on duty around the clock.
• Your parent’s needs. Homes assess each new resident and set the fee to match their level of need. More complex needs mean higher fees.
• The room. En-suite bathrooms, larger rooms, garden views and ground-floor access often carry a premium.
• The building. Newer purpose-built homes with more facilities tend to charge more than older converted properties.

A standard weekly fee normally covers accommodation, meals and drinks, personal care, laundry, housekeeping and the activities the home runs. In a nursing home it also covers nursing care.

Plenty of things usually sit outside the standard fee. Common extras include hairdressing, chiropody, toiletries, newspapers, outings, escorted trips to hospital appointments, and sometimes a phone line or extra TV channels in the room. These small charges add up over a year, so ask for a full list of extras in writing before you commit to anything.

If your parent pays their own fees (a self-funder), they will often be quoted a higher rate than the local council pays for a similar room. Councils negotiate lower rates in bulk, and many homes charge self-funders more to balance the books. It is worth knowing this when you compare quotes, and it is a fair question to raise politely with a home’s manager.

If the council is paying and the family chooses a home that costs more than the council’s usual rate, a relative or friend can pay the difference. This is called a third-party top-up, and it needs to be genuinely affordable for the long term. Our guide to paying for care covers top-ups in more detail.

Do not assume your parent will pay the full fee. In England for 2025/26, if their capital is below £23,250 the council should contribute after a means test. A free care needs assessment from the council is the first step, whatever their finances.

If your parent is in a nursing home, the NHS pays a standard contribution called NHS-funded nursing care, worth £254.06 per week in England for 2025/26, directly to the home. If their needs are primarily health needs, NHS Continuing Healthcare can cover the entire fee, regardless of savings. Attendance Allowance, which is not means tested, can also help with the cost.

In Scotland, personal care is free for those assessed as needing it, and there is a contribution towards nursing care too. Accommodation costs are still payable, so a care home in Scotland is not free, but the bill is structured differently.

Before signing anything, ask each home the questions below. A good home will answer them plainly and put the answers in writing.

• What exactly does the weekly fee include, and can I have the list of extras in writing?
• How often do fees rise, how much have they risen in recent years, and how much notice do you give?
• Will the fee change if my parent’s needs increase, and how is that decided?
• Is there a deposit or an upfront payment, and is it refundable?
• What is charged during a hospital stay, and what happens to fees after a resident dies?
• If my parent’s money runs down, do you accept council funding rates, or would they have to move?