Choosing live-in care for your ageing loved ones is a deeply personal decision, shaped by their unique health needs and preferences. However, the cost of this care is often an important concern for families. To help ease the burden of financing care, various funding options are available in the UK.
Live-in care offers unmatched comfort and independence, allowing your loved ones to receive personalised support in the familiar surroundings of their own home. A dedicated live-in carer can provide round-the-clock assistance, ensuring their needs are met at all times with compassion and professionalism.
Whether you self-fund or qualify for financial support, here is a comprehensive guide on funding quality live-in care for your ageing loved ones. Discover step by step how to ensure your loved ones receive the care they need without financial strain.
What is live-in care funding?
Like any form of care, from residential homes to 24-hour home care, live-in care comes at a cost. Although live-in care could be just what your loved one needs, you might think that they are outpriced and unable to afford this service.
Fortunately, funding options are available to ensure that everyone has fair access to the support they need without having to relocate from the homes they love. Depending on each individual’s financial situation, assets, and savings, older adults can receive financial assistance through Government funding if they pass the eligibility criteria.
The benefits of live-in care
There are many benefits to live-in care:
- Your loved one can continue to live at home surrounded by cherished memories
- No need to relocate and disrupt their daily lives
- Maintain daily routines, hobbies and interests
- Remain close by to friends, family and neighbours
- Receive personalised one-to-one care
- Retain a sense of independence
- Stay with beloved pets
Average costs of live-in care in the UK
The table below provides a general idea of the average costs of live-in care. However, costs will vary across the UK, with prices higher or lower depending on where you live in the country.
Typically, fees range from £900 to £1400 a week, and anywhere up to £2000. On average, you can expect to pay:
| Live-in Care | Cost (£) |
| Per week | £1,100 |
| Per month | £4,730 |
| Per year | £56,760 |
If you are paying for your own care in a care home, the monthly average cost of residential care is £4,640, while nursing care in a care home costs on average £5,640.
This comparison shows that live-in care is a cost-effective alternative to care homes, offering similar levels of support at comparable prices.
What live-in care funding options are available?
Whether you choose to self-fund or apply for assistance, start by contacting your local authority for a care needs assessment. This crucial step is free for anyone over 18 and helps determine the level of support and funding you may be eligible for.
Local authority funding
Adult social care funding is available through your local authority. Eligibility is determined through two assessments: a care needs assessment and a means test.
The care needs assessment assesses what kind of support an individual requires. The means test calculates capital assets, income, and additional properties an individual does not currently occupy. It is designed to assess how much an individual can pay towards their own care and how much financial support they may require.
Other factors that a means test takes into account are:
- An individual’s age
- Location
- The preferred care service, e.g. live-in care, care home
- The local authority’s additional criteria
The local authority may pay towards the cost of adult social care if an individual has less than £23,250 in savings (referred to as the upper capital limit, or UCL). However, from October 2025 the UCL will rise to £100,000 in savings.
To apply for local authority funding, you can contact your GP and await referral to the adult services department. You can also apply online. Take a look at this NHS guide and find your local council.
Healthcare funding
NHS Continuing Healthcare funding offers financial assistance for individuals with complex care needs. The NHS provides free care for those requiring ongoing support due to a disability or long-term illness.
Your local Integrated Care Board (ICB) will arrange and fund the care provision. NHS Continuing Healthcare is not means tested and is solely dependent on the health condition an individual is living with and its severity. During the application process, an individual’s needs will be categorised as low, moderate, high, severe, or priority. They will be eligible for support if they have at least one priority or more than one severe need.
The following is a list of needs typically taken into account:
- Breathing
- Nutrition
- Continence care
- Skin (wounds and ulcers)
- Mobility
- Communication
- Psychological needs
- Emotional needs
- Cognition
- Behaviour
- Medication and therapies
- Altered states of consciousness
It is important to note that dementia care may not be considered a healthcare need, so will not always be eligible for this type of funding.
Benefit entitlements
In addition to care funding, there may be certain benefits older adults could be entitled to which can reduce concerns over funding care. These benefits are entirely dependent on an individual’s financial circumstances.
Some benefits older adults may be eligible for include:
- Attendance allowance is for people over the age of 65. The rates will vary if they are living with mental and physical disabilities. This will typically be a payment of £68.10 or £101.75 a week. Attendance allowance does not cover mobility needs and is not means-tested.
- Guaranteed credit is a benefit designed to top up weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level. As of 2023/24, the rates are £201.05 for a single person and £306.85 for couples.
- Savings credit is available for those over the age of 65 with a modest income or savings. To be eligible, individuals should have a minimum weekly income of £140.67 for a single person and £223.82 for couples.
- Council tax discount is for individuals with savings that are less than £16,000 who may be able to receive a council tax reduction.
- Funded nursing care is for individuals who need nursing care as well as personal care. The costs of the nursing care will be covered by the NHS.
For more information on financial assistance and funding, take a look at Trinity Homecare’s financing and funding home care guide.
Self-funding live-in care
If you and your loved one are not eligible for funding or benefits, self-funding live-in care remains a viable option. Live-in care is comparable in cost to care home services and offers an accessible solution even when self-funded. For couples needing extra support, live-in care can be more economical as it eliminates double accommodation costs associated with care homes.
There are several Government initiatives you may be eligible for to help fund your care, including Attendance allowance and council tax reduction. Even if funding is not available, a needs assessment, free to everyone, can help determine the most appropriate care support for your loved one.
How to arrange live-in care
Trinity Homecare is a well-established, fully managed care agency, with an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating. This places Trinity amongst the top 3% of all nationwide care companies in England. With this in mind, you can rest assured that your loved one will receive the highest standard of care and specialist support.
Awarded an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating, Trinity ranks amongst the top 3% of all nationwide care companies in England. This gives you the peace of mind that your loved one will receive the highest standard of acute care and support.
Arranging live-in care with Trinity is easy. Just follow these five simple steps:
- Call our care team
- Undergo a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your care needs and arrange a care assessment
- After the assessment, a plan of care is created
- A well suited carer is found and placed
- Care can be adapted at any time
