How much does residential care home cost in the UK?

The national median residential care home cost in England is £1,196 per week, ranging from £14 to £59,334 depending on local authority. Costs vary by region — London and the South East are typically 10-15% above the national median, while the North East and Yorkshire are 10-15% below. See the full local authority breakdown below.

What's included in the residential care home cost?

Long-term residential care without nursing — accommodation, meals, personal care and supervision for older adults who can no longer live independently. The cost typically includes basic accommodation/care, but may exclude additional services like physiotherapy, hairdressing, chiropody, or specialist diet supplements. Always ask the provider for an itemised quote and check what's covered before signing a contract.

Will my local council pay for residential care home?

Whether the council pays depends on a means-tested financial assessment. In England, if you have capital above £23,250 (savings + home value if going into residential care) you must pay the full cost yourself. Below this threshold, the council contributes on a sliding scale until you reach £14,250 in capital, when they pay the full assessed cost.

Where is residential care home lower-cost in the UK?

Based on the latest NHS England ASC-FR data, the lower-cost English local authorities for residential care home include Halton (£874/week), North Lincolnshire (£885/week), Wirral (£886/week), Blackpool (£967/week), Darlington (£1,000/week). See the full ranking below.

How accurate is this data?

This data is sourced from NHS England's Adult Social Care Activity and Finance Report (ASC-FR), the official annual government statistical publication on adult social care unit costs. We refresh the data automatically each year when the new release drops. Per-local-authority figures are real observations, not estimates.

Residential care home Costs UK 2026

Long-term residential care without nursing — accommodation, meals, personal care and supervision for older adults who can no longer live independently. The national median is £1,196 per week, ranging from £14 to £59,334 across English local authorities.

National median

£1,196

per week

Lower-cost LA

£874

Halton

Self-funder guide

£1,435-£1,674

Estimated weekly range

What families may actually pay

Council baseline

£1,196

per week from ASC-FR returns

Annual equivalent: £62,192.

Self-funder guide

£1,435-£1,674

per week, using a 20-40% uplift

Mid estimate: £1,555 per week.

2.5-year exposure

£202,124

mid self-funder estimate

Council-rate equivalent: £155,480.

Use the council rate as the floor, then ask providers for the self-funder fee, inclusions and annual uplift policy. For nursing placements, the current England standard NHS-funded nursing care rate is £268 per week.

What to check in a care home fee quote

Lower-cost local authorities

Local Authority	Unit cost	Compare locally
Halton	£874 per week	See Halton →
North Lincolnshire	£885 per week	See North Lincolnshire →
Wirral	£886 per week	See Wirral →
Blackpool	£967 per week	See Blackpool →
Darlington	£1,000 per week	See Darlington →
Sefton	£1,039 per week	See Sefton →
Portsmouth	£1,067 per week	See Portsmouth →
South Tyneside	£1,067 per week	See South Tyneside →
Lincolnshire	£1,075 per week	See Lincolnshire →
Manchester	£1,078 per week	See Manchester →
Walsall	£1,087 per week	See Walsall →
Thurrock	£1,091 per week	See Thurrock →
North East Lincolnshire	£1,094 per week	See North East Lincolnshire →
Nottingham	£1,111 per week	See Nottingham →
Bromley	£1,129 per week	See Bromley →

All local authorities

Other care services

Nursing care home Residential and nursing care Short-term care

Care home data & tools

Care Costs Hub Cost Calculator Self-Funding Guide Find a Care Home Care Deserts Costs by Region Cost Guide Who Pays?