Care-home fees depend on the support a person needs, the room and the provider. A national average cannot tell you what a particular placement will cost. Start with a written quote for the assessed care needs, then compare what is included and how the fee can change.
This guide separates provider fees from financial support. Funding rules vary across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Figures below were checked against the linked official sources on 8 September 2026.
How to compare care-home fees
Ask each shortlisted home for a quote in the same format: the weekly fee, the care needs it covers, the room offered, any one-off charges and the date until which the quote is valid. Ask whether a quoted nursing fee includes or excludes NHS contributions.
Residential care, nursing care and support for dementia can have different staffing and care requirements. A description such as “dementia care” does not, by itself, establish the right level of support or the price. Explain the person’s assessed needs and ask the home to confirm whether it can meet them.
- Accommodation, meals, personal care and laundry: ask what the base fee covers.
- Additional support: ask about one-to-one care, escorts to appointments and changes in care needs.
- Optional services: check hairdressing, outings, therapies and other personal expenses.
- Contract terms: ask about fee reviews, notice periods and what happens during a hospital stay.
Use local fee information carefully
On CareFinder, a sourced provider price and a labelled area estimate are different kinds of information. A starting fee may cover a particular room or level of support. An area estimate describes a sample and is not a quote from the named home. Check the source date, care type and what the number measures before comparing it.
Where a current, supported price is unavailable, contact the provider. We have removed the unsourced national and regional fee tables previously shown in this article.
Care needs and financial assessments
In England, you can ask your council for a free care needs assessment. It considers the support required; a separate financial assessment determines any help with the cost. The NHS assessment guide explains how to request one. Councils apply the 2026–27 England charging rules; those rules should not be presented as UK-wide thresholds.
For Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, use the relevant council or health and social care trust’s guidance. Do not apply an England-only capital limit to another nation.
Benefits and nursing contributions
The published Attendance Allowance rates checked for 2026–27 are £76.70 and £114.60 per week. The rate depends on the help required, and eligibility and care-home circumstances matter. Check GOV.UK’s current rates and the linked eligibility guidance before including a benefit in a budget.
In England, the standard NHS-funded nursing care contribution is £267.68 per week from 1 April 2026, paid directly to eligible nursing homes. It is not an automatic discount for everyone. Ask the provider how it is treated in the contract and see the official nursing-funding announcement.
Scotland extended assessed free personal care to adults under 65 from April 2019. It is not limited to people over 65, and it does not mean all accommodation and living costs are free. Read the Scottish Government explanation and obtain an individual assessment.
Make a shortlist you can compare
Record each quote, its date, the included care, additional charges and questions still unanswered. Keep unconfirmed benefits and funding separate from confirmed income. Revisit the budget if the care needs or contract change.
Browse care homes by location to compare listings and request current information from providers.