Paying for care at home
Care and support provided in your own home is designed to help you remain safe, independent and connected to your local community for as long as possible.
Depending on your needs, support may include Home care which provides practical help with everyday tasks, such as:
- getting in and out of bed
- washing, bathing and personal care
- dressing and undressing
- using the toilet
- preparing meals and drinks
- taking medication
- moving around your home safely
Day centres and community-based activities can also be include and may be suitable if you would benefit from social interaction and structured activities, experience loneliness or social isolation or have a carer who would benefit from a short break from their caring responsibilities.
Costs
The cost of care at home varies depending on the amount of support you need, the provider, location, time of day, and the complexity of your care needs.
Typical costs in the East Midlands are:
| Type of visit | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Weekday care visits | £20 to £30 per hour |
| Evenings and weekends | £25 to £35 per hour |
| Overnight sleep-in care | £120 to £200 per night |
| Live-in care (24-hour) | £900 to £1,400 per week |
Your contribution
The amount you contribute towards your care will depend on your:
- Care needs assessment, which determines the level of support you require
- Financial assessment, which considers your income, savings and assets
Protected income
You will be left with enough money to cover your everyday living costs after paying any contribution towards your care. This is known as your protected income and is based on minimum income levels set by the Government.
Protected income is intended to cover day-to-day living expenses, including:
- food and drink
- clothing and footwear
- personal care and hygiene
- hairdressing
- utility bills and household insurance
- TV licence and television subscriptions
- glasses, dental treatment and healthcare costs
- transport and travel costs
- home maintenance and repairs
- other reasonable day-to-day living expenses
Disability-Related Expenditure (DRE)
You will have additional income if you have to cover additional disability-related costs, such as:
- speciality items caused by disability, including specialist washing powders, laundry costs and special dietary needs
- special clothing or footwear
- additional bedding (e.g. due to incontinence)
- additional heating or water costs above average levels due to age, medical condition or disability
- basic garden maintenance, cleaning or domestic help, if needed due to the individual's disability and not met by social services
- purchase, maintenance and repair of disability-related equipment or transport
- personal assistance costs including any household or other necessary costs
Financial assessment
Once your financial assessment has been completed, we will confirm whether you need to contribute towards your care and, if so, how much.
You will then have two options.
- Option 1: Council-arranged services - we arrange your care and support services on your behalf and pay the provider directly, you pay your assessed contribution to us, usually by Direct Debit
- Option 2: Direct payments - you arrange and manage your own care and support services, we pay our contribution into your direct payment account or pre-paid card, and you use these funds to purchase agreed support
Request an assessment
You can also request a free care needs assessment to discuss your circumstances and explore the support and funding options available to you.
Last updated 14 August 2026