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Guide To Care Home Costs

If you’re thinking about residential care for yourself or a loved one, one of the first logical steps is to look into care home costs. When looking at care homes, you’ll need to consider the care home fees for each, and you should check exactly what those fees cover, as well as the details of any contracts. 

Whether you’re self-funding care home costs or accessing available benefits, this guide explains the options available to you.

Where To Start With Care Home Costs

Care home costs will naturally vary depending on the individual care home and the level of care required. Care home fees can even change according to where in the country the care home is. This is why it’s important to look at the care provision as a whole and decide if the fees reflect the service. Care homes offering more comfort and a greater staff ratio may cost more, but may also provide a better quality of life for residents. 

Different types of care will also incur different costs; for example, care home costs for those solely needing residential care may be less than for those accessing dementia care services. Therefore, assess all elements, including the care home costs and the services expected and included in those costs. Visit each care home so you know exactly what you’re getting for your fee.

How Much Does A Care Home Cost?

There is no single set price of care homes and there are many factors that will be taken into account when care homes set their care home fees. These include:

  • The level of care – residents requiring nursing or dementia care will need a higher level of provision than those looking at residential care
  • Location – as well as different parts of the country having different care home costs, there can be a discrepancy between rural and urban areas, with urban care homes usually costing a little more
  • Accommodation – the price of care homes with more luxurious interiors or a high standard of amenities, such as private rooms with en-suite showers, will be higher
  • Facilities – similarly to the level of accommodation, extra facilities like ample outdoor spaces or a choice of restaurants will incur higher care home fees
  • Features – above and beyond the basics, some care homes offer hair salons, nail bars or concierge services, which will naturally affect the cost