You can arrange ‘live-in care’ from approximately £680 right up to £1800 (per week).
That’s a big range so let’s cut straight to it and be honest. There is no one answer to the question ‘how much does live-in care cost’ and it is not straight forward. To ascertain even an idea of what it may cost you (as each quote will be bespoke based on requirement) it is necessary to do a bit or research to decide which option is right for you.
When considering arranging home care for a loved one it is important that you have the necessary information to make an informed decision. This article assumes you have decided that your loved one would prefer, and best benefit from having a full-time professional at home Carer live with them in their own home providing services as and when necessary. This article also looks at costs from the point of view of being funded privately.
There are different types of companies that arrange and provide live-in care. Before you can understand the costs fully it is necessary to learn about the ways you could arrange live-in care.
Private Engagement – where a person searches for, finds and engages a private Carer on a private arrangement e.g., Gumtree, a card in the local shop etc
Recruitment & Introduction Agency – where a person engages the services of a specialist recruitment agency to source and present professional, self-employed, qualified domiciliary carers to you to select and engage.
Managed Service – where you engage a company to provide you with professional, qualified carers whom they manage.
Each one of these options will present you with a unique and bespoke price based primarily on the care needs of the person in need of support and the qualifications of the carer provided. Needless to say, that the first two options are often less expensive that the third (though not necessarily than each other) for the very specific reason that the ‘managed’ option have the expensive overheads of having ‘employees.’
Let’s look at each in a little more detail:
Private Engagement – Live in Carers who work on a private basis - that is to say that they do not use a live-in care recruitment agency for work-finding purposes and they are not employed by a live-in care company. They could be ‘self-employed’ or wish for you to ‘employ’ them. Carers that work under this arrangement are currently (in 2020) asking for a daily rate ranging between £100-£150, they may also ask for their travel to be reimbursed and you’ll need to arrange a food allowance or cover their food costs too. They may or may not expect you to pay for their PPE depending on their employment status with you.
Typical cost of a live-in carer on this model - £900 per week
Recruitment & Introductory Agencies offer a middle-ground between the other two and are a bridge between them offering an alternative option. They charge an agency fee for their recruitment services and will charge either daily, weekly or per placement. They can charge anywhere from between £15-£40 per day approximately and it depends on the level of service them provide, the calibre of the home carers they present to you for selection and their reputation. On top of their fees you will have the carers rate, typically around £95-£110 per day. Their Carers are registered as ‘self-employed’ so take care of their own travel and PPE costs. They generally eat with their clients and it is suggested that the client covers the cost of the food.
Typical cost of a live-in carer on this model - £925 per week (inclusive of agency & Carer).
A Managed Service is the most expensive as the Domiciliary Carers are ‘employed’ by the company and therefore they have more considerable overheads. Their Carers are fully managed and directed in all they do and the company therefore has ultimate responsibility. They will charge you a weekly/monthly fee and will take care of the Carers pay too. They charge upwards of £1,200 per week and this can stretch to closer to £2,000 per week.
Typical cost of a live-in carer on this model - £1,500 per week.
The above options are all viable and it’s important you chose the right one for you. Each has unique benefits and the levels of service on offer will meet the needs of your individual circumstances.
I am Melanie, the Head of Operations at Access Care. I also work on the new business team as I am passionate about helping people find the right care for them. When people call Access Care we are trained to offer solutions to their current situations and help them decide on the best ‘model’ of livein care for their personal circumstances. I will help them find the best solution I can based on need, preference and of course budget - call our team today on 0800 980 3958 to talk to us about engaging a Live-in Carer.
Best wishes,
Melanie
Head of Operations