How much does live in care cost?
Let’s get straight to the point with an answer to the question; the cost of live-in care is typically between £900 and £1500 per week.
It is possible to see live-in care offered below £900 per week but there is a risk about who and what you will get for that. It can also be a headline figure to draw you in. However, the real cost may turn out to be far more, once a realistic assessment of needs are made. Now, let’s explain what makes up the variation in the cost of live in care…
The cost of live-in care is typically determined by four factors:
The individual’s needs (companionship vs complex care)
The daily average hours worked by the live-in care worker (usually linked to a person’s needs)
Whether the care is for a single person or a couple (couple’s care is generally very cost effective)
Whether you chose an introductory agency or CQC registered provider
The individual’s needs & daily average hours
It won’t come as much of a surprise that care focused on companionship and staying on top of household tasks will cost less than for a person with more complex needs, such as dementia. The level of support required will typically influence the average number of hours the care worker is required to work across the day. The range here tends to be 8 hours at the lower end, up to 12 hours for more complex care, spread across the day. So if 8 hours were to cost £135 per day (£945 per week) then you can expect that 12 hours will cost 50% more; approximately £200 per day (£1400 per week).
As a guide, the service we offer starts from £900 per week but for long-term packages of care, this reduces to around £800 per week. If you would like a more accurate guide to costs based on your personal circumstances, please get in touch for a no obligation conversation. We’re here to help.
Care for couples
Care for couples tends to be very cost effective. For example, if the cost of care were £900 for a single person, it may only cost 30% more or £1200 per week for a couple. Compare this against two places in a care home, which can be a full charge for each individual person and the saving is significant — as much as £40,000 per year. It also means couples can stay together, if one person needs care but the other is still relatively healthy and independent.
Introductory Agency vs CQC Registered Provider
Regardless of whether you choose a CQC registered provider or an introductory agency, the care workers should be qualified and security checked to the same level. Live-in care workers often work for both introductory agencies and CQC providers. This means they must meet all the required CQC standards and have their training and criminal record checks up to date. At McDonald Homecare, we recruit to a standard much higher than the basic compliance required by the CQC. So what is the difference between these two types of provision?
An introductory agency, such as McDonald Homecare, source a specific self-employed carer for families. The carer is typically paid directly, which helps reduce the cost of care by around 30% or more. For example, introductory care costing £900 will cost in the region of £1,200 to £1,325 with a CQC provider. (Based on our recent price research of CQC providers across England). Over a year the saving with an introductory agency is in the region of £15,000 to £22,000.
Both CQC providers and introductory agencies match a carer based on a range of factors, including personality match, personal preferences and carer skills. (Plus a host of other subtle elements that make a live-in care package work well.) Our long-term partnerships mean we have access to a significant pool of talent and also recruit on a bespoke basis to ensure the best fit.
With an introductory agency, the care worker will need to be more self-sufficient at problem solving and managing the package of care, and will be recruited on their experience and ability to do this.
An introductory service is ultimately designed to give you more choice and control over care, as well as save money. As the person receiving care, or as a family member, you can have as much involvement as you would like.
CQC Registered Providers
With a CQC provider, they are registered with the regulator of all health and social care services in England. Typically, everything happens under one roof, so the care worker will work directly for the provider and be answerable to them. A CQC provider will set up the care plan for the care worker to follow and will monitor the service. The nature of running a CQC registered service, with a Registered Manager and other administrative staff naturally increases the overhead costs. This tends to be where the largest difference in cost of your package of care comes from.
Conclusion
In summary, costs tend to start from around £900 per week for an introductory service and £1200 for a CQC registered provider. If you want a ‘hands off’ approach, where most aspects of a care package are managed for you, then a CQC provider may be the right option. If you are willing or would like to have more input into the package of care, then an introductory approach could be very suitable, as well as providing significant financial savings of 30% or more.
“If you would like a more accurate guide to costs based on your personal circumstances, please get in touch for a conversation with no pressure or expectation.”
Call us now: 01730 624 070