UK Care Home Costs: What's Included and What's Extra

By CareFinder Team · Published 2026-07-07 · Last reviewed 2026-09-18

A UK care home's weekly fee normally covers the room, meals and drinks, personal care, laundry, heating and lighting, cleaning and a programme of activities, and in a nursing home, nursing care from registered nurses. Hairdressing, chiropody, newspapers, trips and staff escorts to appointments are often extra. Homes must tell you upfront what the fee includes and what costs more.

A care home's weekly fee usually covers far more than a bed: the room, meals, personal care, laundry, utilities, cleaning and day-to-day activities are normally all included. What varies is the list of extras charged on top, and that list is where families get caught out. Under consumer law, homes should tell you both parts upfront.

This guide explains what to expect in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; the inclusions are broadly the same across the UK, while funding rules differ.

What does the weekly fee normally include?

For a permanent place, the standard fee typically covers:

• Accommodation: the room, furnished, with heating, lighting and water.
• Meals and drinks: usually three meals a day plus snacks, with special diets catered for.
• Personal care: help with washing, dressing, going to the toilet and taking medicines, as the NHS describes for residential homes.
• Laundry of everyday clothes and bedding.
• Cleaning of rooms and shared areas.
• Activities: an in-house programme of social activities.
• Shared spaces: lounges, dining rooms and gardens.

Always check this against the home's own list: no two homes define "included" in quite the same way.

What changes in a nursing or dementia home?

Nursing homes

A nursing home has registered nurses on duty at all times, so the fee is usually higher. If your relative is assessed as needing care from a registered nurse, the NHS pays a weekly amount directly to the home towards that nursing care. Check the quote shows whether this payment has already been deducted.

Dementia care

Homes registered to care for people living with dementia may charge more for higher staffing, specially trained staff or a secure environment. Ask what the dementia element actually buys: staff numbers by day and night, training, and how the home supports someone who becomes distressed.

Respite stays

Respite is a short stay, often in an ordinary residential or nursing home, to give a carer a break or to help someone recover. It is usually charged at a weekly rate, sometimes higher than the permanent rate, and some homes ask for a minimum stay.

What is often charged as extra?

The CMA's guide to consumer rights for residents gives hairdressing and staff escorts to hospital appointments as examples of extras homes must tell you about. Others commonly charged separately include:

• hairdressing and barbering;
• chiropody, where not provided by the NHS;
• private physiotherapy or other private therapy sessions;
• newspapers, magazines and toiletries;
• outings and some special events;
• dry cleaning and clothes labelling;
• a personal phone line, Wi-Fi or a television licence where one is needed;
• a staff member to accompany the resident to appointments.

NHS services, such as GP visits, district nurses, NHS therapy and prescribed medicines, remain available to care home residents as to anyone else. You should not be charged by the home for NHS care itself.

How does the room affect the price?

Many homes price rooms differently. Features that can raise the fee include:

• an en-suite bathroom or wet room;
• a larger room or a suite;
• a garden view or ground-floor access;
• a newer wing of the building.

If your relative's fees are council-funded, a more expensive room may mean someone has to pay a top-up.

What money does a resident keep?

In England, a resident whose place is funded by the council keeps a personal expenses allowance from their income for personal spending, such as clothes, toiletries, hairdressing and treats. For 2026/27 it is £31.80 a week, according to the DHSC charging circular. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own amounts. Extras the home charges usually have to come out of this allowance, so a long extras list matters even more for council-funded residents.

How do you compare homes fairly?

1. Ask each home for its fee for your relative's assessed needs, in writing.
2. Ask for the full list of what is included and what is extra, with prices.
3. Compare the total expected weekly cost, not just the headline fee.
4. Check how and when fees rise.
5. Read the latest inspection report: CQC in England, the Care Inspectorate in Scotland, Care Inspectorate Wales, or RQIA in Northern Ireland.
6. Visit at different times of day, including a meal time.

This is general information. For advice on funding or contracts, contact your council's adult social care team, Citizens Advice, Age UK or a regulated independent financial adviser.

Frequently asked questions

Are meals included in care home fees?

Yes, meals and drinks are normally included, including special diets. Check whether guests' meals or special occasion meals cost extra.

Is hairdressing included?

Usually not. Most homes have a visiting hairdresser or salon and charge per appointment. Ask for the prices.

Do residents pay for NHS nursing care in a nursing home?

The NHS pays a weekly contribution towards registered nursing care straight to the home for eligible residents. The rest of the fee, covering accommodation and personal care, is paid by the resident or the council.

Does a dementia care home cost more?

Often it does, because of higher staffing or specialist training. Ask what the extra cost pays for, so you can compare homes on substance.

Can the home charge for GP visits or prescriptions?

No. NHS services are free to residents as to anyone else. A home may charge for a private service it arranges, but it should say so upfront.

Are fees different for a short respite stay?

Often, yes. Respite is usually charged weekly and can cost more per week than a permanent place, and some homes set a minimum stay. If the council arranged the respite, it will assess what your relative pays under its own rules for temporary stays, which differ from those for permanent residents.

Key takeaways

• The weekly fee usually covers the room, meals, personal care, laundry, utilities, cleaning and activities.
• Hairdressing, chiropody, trips, newspapers and staff escorts are common extras.
• Nursing homes cost more, but the NHS contributes to nursing care for eligible residents.
• Council-funded residents in England keep a personal expenses allowance, which often pays for extras.
• Compare total weekly costs in writing, and check inspection reports as well as prices.