A useful care-home budget starts with the person’s needs and actual quotes from suitable homes. An old national price range can miss the room, care package and additional support being discussed. This guide explains how to build a comparison without treating an estimate as an offer.
Start with the care that is needed
Write down the support the person needs during the day and night, any clinical requirements and their preferences. In England, the NHS care needs assessment guide explains how to ask the council for an assessment. Use the relevant local authority or health and social care trust outside England.
Collect comparable written quotes
For each home, record its name, the proposed room, the weekly fee, the date quoted and the care package included. Ask who provided the quote and when it expires. A fee published on a website can be a starting price for a different room or care level.
Ask the home to list any extra charges and the circumstances that would change the main fee. Useful questions include whether one-to-one support is included, how hospital absences are charged and how much notice is required to end the placement.
Separate confirmed funding from possible support
Use separate rows for confirmed income, approved public funding, savings you intend to use and funding applications awaiting a decision. Do not count an application as money already available.
Care charging rules differ between UK nations. For an England placement, consult the current local-authority charging guidance and ask for a written financial assessment. Obtain advice about property, benefits and contributions that is specific to the person’s circumstances before signing a long-term commitment.
Check the budget at the right intervals
Use the billing period stated in the contract. For a simple annual planning comparison, multiplying a weekly amount by 52 gives a 52-week illustration; it is not a substitute for the provider’s invoice schedule. Include any one-off charges separately.
Add a second scenario using the fee-review terms supplied by the provider. Identify when savings or other funding might need to be reviewed. Avoid assuming a fixed annual percentage increase where the contract does not specify one.
Use a short comparison record
- Quoted weekly fee and what it includes.
- Extra support and personal expenses.
- Confirmed income and approved funding.
- Unconfirmed applications, with their next action and decision date.
- Contract review date, notice period and questions for the home.
Bring the record to a discussion with the home and, where needed, an adviser experienced in care funding. Keep the person receiving care involved wherever possible.
Our care-home costs and funding guide contains dated source links. You can also browse homes by location and ask shortlisted providers for current fees.