By the Big on Health editorial team, Ideas in Medicine Ltd.

This is not medical, legal or financial advice. Big on Health is a UK review site. For health worries, speak to your GP, pharmacist or NHS 111. For help with paying for care, speak to your council’s adult social care team (in Northern Ireland, your Health and Social Care Trust).

If Mum or Dad needs help at home, the first question most families ask is “what will it cost?” This page brings together home care and live-in care prices that have been published for 2026, with who published each figure and when. We read every source on 13 Oct 2026. Prices change, so always check with the provider before you agree anything.

Published prices for 2026

Each figure below is what the named source published, for the year shown. They are averages, typical prices or minimums, not quotes. Your own price will depend on where you live, how many hours you need and how complex the care is.

Two things to notice. First, the provider-published median (£33.49) sits close to the Homecare Association’s minimum (£34.42), while councils have been paying far less. Second, prices through an introductory service like PrimeCarers are lower than agency prices, partly because the family takes on more of the arranging. That difference is explained below.

Household costs for a live-in carer, such as their food, are usually on top of the weekly price. Ask what is and isn’t included.

Will the council help pay?

Your parent can ask the council for a free needs assessment. Whether they then pay towards care depends on a means test, and the rules differ across the UK. Which? summarises them as follows (read 13 Oct 2026):

• England and Northern Ireland: the upper savings limit is £23,250.
• Wales: the limit is £24,000, and there is a maximum weekly charge of £100 for care at home.
• Scotland: personal care at home is free for people the council assesses as needing it. Other kinds of support may be charged for.

Source: Which?, Paying for care at home. See also our guide to paying for private care at home, and check whether your parent can claim Attendance Allowance.

Agencies, introductory services and regulators

There are two main ways to buy care at home, and they are not the same thing.

A registered home care agency employs the carers, plans the rota, covers sickness and holidays, and is responsible for the quality of the care. In England it must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which inspects it and publishes a rating. You pay more, but more of the responsibility sits with the agency.

An introductory service (PrimeCarers is one) introduces you to self-employed carers. You choose the carer and agree the arrangement with them, and the service usually provides tools such as contracts and payments. Because the service does not itself provide the care, it is generally not inspected or rated as a care provider in the way an agency is. Prices are usually lower, but more falls on your family: checking the carer, arranging cover and keeping an eye on how things are going. Our guides to agency vs private carer, DBS checks and questions to ask before you hire help with that.

Neither route is right for everyone. For complex needs, such as hoisting or advanced dementia, many families prefer a registered provider. For companionship and help with daily tasks, an introductory service can work well.

Each UK nation has its own regulator. You can look up any care provider on its website:

• England: Care Quality Commission (CQC)
• Scotland: Care Inspectorate
• Wales: Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW)
• Northern Ireland: Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA)

If you are using an introductory service, ask it directly whether it is registered with your nation’s regulator and what that registration covers.

Looking for a private carer?

Ad. If you’d like to compare self-employed carers and see their rates up front, you can browse carers on PrimeCarers. If you register through this link, Ideas in Medicine Ltd, trading as Big on Health, may earn a commission. That does not change what you pay.

Sources

All read on 13 Oct 2026.

• Homecare Association: Minimum Price for Homecare 2026/2027
• Homecare Association: response to the Low Pay Commission 2026
• Lottie: Care Index, Home Care Q3 2026
• PrimeCarers: Cost of care at home 2026
• PrimeCarers: Live-in care
• Which?: Paying for care at home

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