Is Live-in Care More Expensive Than a Care Home?

When the time comes to arrange care for a loved one, the decision-making process can feel heavy with responsibility. You want to make the best choice, one that ensures their safety, happiness, and well-being. 

A big part of that decision inevitably comes down to cost. It’s a practical question that every family has to face: Is live-in care more expensive than a care home?

On the surface, the weekly figures for live-in care can seem high. But when you look closer and compare what you’re truly getting for your money, the picture starts to change. 

Read on to walk through that comparison, looking beyond the initial numbers to explore the true value of one-to-one live-in care versus a residential setting.

A Direct Cost Comparison: The Numbers

Let's start by looking at the average costs. It's the most straightforward way to begin, but as we'll see, it's not the whole story.

• Care Home Costs: In the UK, the average cost of a residential care home is typically between £1,000 and £1,500 per person, per week. For a room in a nursing home that provides more intensive medical support, this can easily rise to over £1,700 per week. These fees cover a room, meals, and access to care staff who are shared among all residents.

• Live-in care Costs: The cost for a professional live-in carer generally ranges from £1,200 to £1,800 per week. This fee is for the dedicated, one-to-one services of a carer who lives in the home.

At first glance, the figures might appear similar, with live-in care sometimes looking slightly more expensive. However, this is where we need to look deeper and ask a crucial question: what exactly are you paying for?

The Hidden Value: Comparing Apples and Oranges

Comparing the cost of home care to a care home is a bit like comparing the cost of a private tutor to a school classroom. Both provide education, but the approach and the level of individual attention are worlds apart.

In a residential care home, the fee pays for a spot within a larger community. The care team, however wonderful they may be, must divide their time and attention among the many residents that live there. Their day is often dictated by a set schedule of meal times, medication rounds, and group activities.

With home care, you are paying for the exclusive attention of a dedicated live-in carer. This professional’s sole focus is your loved one. Their needs, their preferences, and their routines shape the entire day. This one-to-one support is the fundamental difference, and its value is immense.

The Financial Case for Couples

The cost comparison changes dramatically when we consider care for a couple. If both partners need care, they would require two separate places in a residential care home. This could mean a combined weekly cost of £2,000 to £3,000 or more. Financially, this can be understandably overwhelming. Emotionally, it can be heart breaking, sometimes even leading to couples being placed in different homes.

Live-in care offers a powerful and cost-effective alternative. A single live-in carer can typically support both partners in their own home. While the weekly fee for a couple is slightly higher than for an individual - to reflect the increased workload it is way less than the cost of two care home beds.

This makes home care a far more affordable option for couples, with the priceless benefit of allowing them to stay together in the home they've shared.

Beyond the Financials: The Invaluable Benefits of Home Care

The decision isn't just about money; it's about quality of life. The benefits of being able to stay in your own home are massive and often immeasurable.

Personalised, Person-Centred Care

Live-in care is built entirely around the client.

• Your Home, Your Rules: Your loved one gets to stay in their cherished home, surrounded by a lifetime of memories. They can wake up in their own bed, sit in their favourite chair, and look out at their own garden. They maintain control over their daily life, from what they eat for breakfast to when they have visitors.

• Dedicated Companion Care: A live-in carer is more than just a helper; they become a true companion. Loneliness can have a devastating effect on health. Having a consistent, friendly face for companion care, someone to chat with, share hobbies with, and accompany on outings, makes an enormous difference to mental and emotional well-being.

• Keeping Pets: For many, a pet is a beloved member of the family. Most residential care homes cannot accommodate pets, leading to a painful separation. With home care, pets can stay, providing their unique brand of comfort and companionship.

Specialised Dementia Care at Home

For a person living with dementia, a move into an unfamiliar residential  care home environment can be incredibly distressing and confusing. The change in routine and surroundings can accelerate cognitive decline and increase anxiety.

Dementia care at home provides the stability and consistency that is so crucial. A specially trained live-in carer can help to create a calm, safe, and reassuring environment. They help maintain familiar routines and use techniques to manage their client’s symptoms with patience and empathy. Allowing someone to stay in their familiar surroundings is one of the kindest and most effective forms of dementia support you can provide.

The True Cost of a Residential Care Home

While a care home provides a safe environment, it comes with "costs" that aren't on the invoice.

• Loss of Independence: Life becomes structured around the home's schedule, not the individual's preferences.

• Emotional Toll: The process of downsizing, selling a family home, and leaving a community can be emotionally taxing for the entire family.

• Shared Attention: Even in the best homes, care is rationed. Your loved one will have to wait their turn for assistance.

When you factor in these non-financial costs, the value proposition of live-in care becomes even clearer. You are investing in your loved one’s independence, dignity, and happiness.

Making an Informed Decision

So, is live-in care more expensive than a care home?

For a single person, the weekly cost can be comparable, but it buys a level of one-to-one, personalised care that is simply unmatched. For a couple, live-in care is almost always the more cost-effective option, allowing them to stay together.

The real value of live-in care lies in what it protects: the comfort of home, the dignity of independence, and the joy of a life lived on one's own terms. It’s a service that puts the person, not the process, at the heart of the care. 

When you look at it that way, the investment in a dedicated home carer is one of the most valuable you can make for someone you love.