How much do care homes cost in the UK?
For self-funders in 2026, expect to pay between £1,200 and £1,800 a week for residential care, and £1,500 to £2,200 a week for nursing or specialist dementia care. London and the South East run 20–30% above the national average. Wales, the North East and parts of Scotland are meaningfully cheaper.
These figures are for private fees. Local authority placements are usually paid at a lower rate, which is why many homes ask families for a top-up if they want a particular room or facility.
Who actually pays?
The means test in England (2026) treats anyone with assets over £23,250 as a self-funder. Below £14,250, the local authority pays in full subject to assessment. Between those numbers it's a sliding contribution. Scotland and Wales use different thresholds, so always check locally.
The home you live in is included in the means test if your relative moves into a care home permanently , unless a spouse, dependent child, or qualifying relative still lives there. A 12-week property disregard usually applies at the start of a permanent stay.
When should the NHS pay?
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) pays 100% of care home fees, including accommodation , when someone has a 'primary health need'. It is not means-tested. Eligibility is genuinely strict but massively under-claimed: if your relative has complex, intense or unpredictable health needs (advanced dementia, severe mobility loss, medical instability), request a CHC assessment in writing. Don't wait to be offered one.
If full CHC is refused, ask about Funded Nursing Care (FNC), a flat NHS contribution to the nursing element of fees in a nursing home (currently around £240/week in England).
Are next of kin liable?
No. UK law does not make next of kin personally responsible for a relative's care fees. The only way you become liable is if you sign a contract with the care home as a guarantor or top-up payer. Read the contract carefully, and never sign as 'responsible person' unless you understand exactly what that commits you to.
The rules families most often get wrong
- You can't 'gift away' the house to dodge fees. Councils investigate deliberate deprivation and there is no safe 7-year window for care fees (that rule is inheritance tax only).
- Top-ups must be voluntary. If the council has agreed to fund a placement, they have to offer a home that meets the need at their rate, top-ups are for upgrading, not for filling a gap.
- Fees can rise mid-year. Check the contract for notice periods and annual increase mechanisms before you move in.
- Attendance Allowance is yours to claim for over-65s with care needs at home, it stops if local authority funding kicks in, but most self-funders should be claiming it.