Live-in Care costs

WHAT IS THE COST OF LIVE-IN CARE?

The weekly cost of live-in care can vary significantly depending on many factors including the type of live-in care provider you choose, the needs of the person receiving care, and whether the person has any complex conditions that require specialist care.

At Oxford Aunts, our expert Care Assessor will determine the weekly cost of care by conducting a thorough assessment of your needs. Our approach is holistic and considers not just your health needs, but how you wish to live your life.

Following the assessment, we will confirm the weekly fee for the most suitable live-in care package. It is an inclusive price for the care we provide, with no hidden extras meaning you can understand the total cost of care over a longer period, enabling you to plan financially.

Find out here how to arrange an assessment.

WHAT DOES THE COST OF OUR LIVE-IN CARE INCLUDE?

We recognise the importance of personalised care that meets the unique needs of each individual. Our live-in care services are designed to provide round-the-clock support and assistance, tailored to the specific needs and preferences of our clients, including:

A comprehensive assessment of your needs
A tailored plan of care and support that reflects your care needs and personal preferences
Careful matching of an experienced and dedicated carer who will meet all your needs
The support of a fully-managed care service that manages and pays your carer
Unrivalled support from a team of two care managements experts local to you
24 hours a day out-of-hours emergency support should you need it

LIVE-IN CARE COSTS VS. RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES

When comparing home help costs, it is worth noting that the cost of live-in care is comparable to the cost of a good quality care home. Many care homes, particularly in the South East, are more expensive. For those that need nursing care or care for complex conditions like dementia or Parkinson’s, or for those who need specialist care following a stroke or to live with cancer, the cost can be higher.

There are many extras that care homes will charge on top of the weekly care fee, including trips and hairdressing, which can make it difficult to plan the annual cost of care. With live-in care, the total weekly fee is for the care you receive, whereas in a care home, part of the weekly fee will be for the accommodation.

For couples, live-in care is particularly attractive. In a care home, you will need to pay for two packages of care, whereas with live-in care you only pay one weekly for the carer who can meet both your needs, with a nominal fee to provide care to a couple.

Despite live-in care costs typically being in line with the cost of care home fees, it is difficult to truly compare the one-to-one dedicated support you receive from a live-in carer to that of a care home. There are many benefits of live-in care, not least that you can continue to live in your beloved home without having to sell it to fund care home fees.

LIVE-IN CARE FOR COUPLES

For many couples, the thought of being split up so you get the care you each need is heart-wrenching. There are not many care homes across the country that have double bedrooms for couples to remain together. You may even find that you are living in two different areas of the care home, depending on your care needs. With two rooms and packages of care, the cost of care is typically double when compared with live-in care. Live-in care means you can stay together as a loving couple with one inclusive weekly fee covering the cost of live-in care.

RESPITE LIVE-IN CARE COSTS

If you need a respite service, the cost of live-in care will depend on a thorough assessment of your needs. Discounts are offered for a series of respite services and for repeat bookings. Whilst live-in respite care is in line with that offered in a good care home, with live-in care you have all the countless benefits of staying in your beloved home – just as you always have.

LIVE-IN CARE COSTS VS. INTRODUCTORY AGENCIES

When evaluating the costs of live-in care, it’s important to take into account the costs involved with using either an introductory agency or a fully managed and regulated live-in care provider. An introductory agency will charge you a fee for introducing you to a carer who you will employ, pay and manage directly. A fully managed and regulated live-in care provider will offer more extensive management and service delivery to guarantee that you receive the best quality care.

After an introduction agency has connected you with a carer and you have paid the one-time fee for their service, their involvement in the arrangement generally concludes. From that point forward, families are responsible for overseeing, managing, and coordinating all aspects of their loved one’s care. In most cases, individuals who require long-term care will require a pair of carers to provide the necessary assistance.

You and your family will be accountable for arranging a schedule, compensating the carer, and arranging for coverage during periods of sickness or holiday. Carers who are referred to you by an introductory agency are typically self-employed and may not have undergone any prior training before being matched with a client.

By utilising a fully managed and regulated service, all of these concerns are completely eliminated. You can rest assured that the care provided is of the highest quality, making life easier for the entire family.

SPECIALIST AND COMPLEX CARE COSTS

We are experts in providing specialist care for complex conditions that affect people’s ability to live well at home. Our approach to matching our carers with our clients means that the carer we place with you will have been trained in the specific condition you are living with and will enable you to live a better quality of life, with independence and choice.

It’s important to keep in mind that live-in care from a fully managed and regulated provider could be significantly less expensive than using a domiciliary provider who provides hourly or visiting care at home. If you’re living with a condition that requires specialised medical or complex care and are receiving hourly care, there will be additional fees in addition to the cost of the visit to assist you, which can quickly add up and become costly.

SELF-FUNDING LIVE-IN CARE COSTS

Many people who are not eligible for healthcare funding or social care funding are faced with having to finance the care they need themselves. This is called self-funding live-in care. However, there are financing options available that can help you with privately funding live-in care, including equity release schemes or care fees insurance policies, called care fees annuities.

FUNDING YOUR CARE

At Oxford Aunts, we have helped thousands of families better understand how they can finance the care of a loved one, whilst providing guidance on any funding they may be entitled to.

While many families are often faced with self-funding their own care, it is worthwhile to find out if you are entitled to any additional funding or benefits which may help offset some of the costs of care.

NHS Continuing Healthcare: Depending on your care needs you may be entitled to healthcare funding. This is funding available from your Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Your eligibility will be determined by a care assessment, and although the requirements are not means-tested, the criteria can be lengthy and strict.
Social Care Funding: You may also be entitled to funding from your local authority. Unlike healthcare funding, social care funding is means-tested so you will have to undergo a financial assessment to determine if you will be responsible for contributing to your own care costs.
Local Authority Support: Even if you are not eligible for healthcare funding or social care funding you may still be entitled to support from your local council in the form of allowances, credits and discounts.

TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR LIVE IN CARE NEEDS

Call our friendly and approachable team today to arrange an assessment of your care needs. This will give you a better understanding of live-in care costs in the UK.