Costs & funding
How we charge, what shapes a rate, and where the money can come from.
Care is quoted individually after the free assessment, so the figure you are given is the figure you pay. There are no registration fees, no assessment fees and no long tie-in contract.
We know that asking about money can feel awkward when you are already worrying about someone. It should not be. Ask us directly and we will answer directly.
What we factor in
Two people needing the same number of hours can be quoted differently, and these are the reasons why.
Length and pattern of visits
A single long visit and four short ones are not the same job. Shorter, more frequent calls carry more travel and handover, and that is reflected honestly rather than hidden.
How many carers are needed
Some moving and handling requires two carers for safety. Where that is the case we will explain why before it appears on a quote.
Specialist skill and oversight
Complex conditions, clinical tasks and specialist training carry a higher hourly rate, because the carers doing that work are trained and supervised for it.
Bank holidays
Bank holiday rates are agreed with you before care begins and written into your rate, so nothing appears on an invoice you were not expecting.
Where you are
We build rounds geographically. If you are within an established round, that helps; if you are at the edge of our coverage, we will tell you rather than quietly pricing it in.
What does not change it
The time of day. Our hourly rate is the same at 3am as it is at 3pm — there is no separate night rate, and no weekend uplift.
Costs & funding routes
Care is quoted individually after the free assessment, so the figure you are given is the figure you pay. Here is how the charging works and where the money can come from.
Hourly rate
Everything except live-in care is charged by the hour — visiting calls, personal care, waking nights and sleeping nights alike. The hourly rate does not change overnight or at weekends. It varies only with the length of the visit, whether two carers are needed, and whether the care calls for specialist training or clinical oversight.
Weekly rate — live-in care
Live-in care is the one exception. It is charged at a weekly rate covering the carer's placement for the full week, rather than by the hour.
Getting a figure
We give a clear written quote after the free assessment, before anything is agreed. Call 020 3640 7722 for an indication of current rates for your situation.
Bank holiday rates are agreed with you before care begins and written into your rate, so nothing appears on an invoice you were not expecting.
Funding routes explained
Local Authority funding
Your council carries out a Care Act needs assessment, followed by a financial assessment. If you are eligible, the council commissions and contributes towards care based on your needs and means. We hold contracts with local authorities across our coverage area.
Direct Payments
Rather than the council arranging care for you, the funding is paid to you and you commission the provider yourself. It gives you full choice over who supports you and when. We support many Direct Payment clients and can provide the invoicing councils require.
NHS Continuing Healthcare
Where someone's needs are primarily health-related rather than social, care can be fully funded by the NHS following a CHC assessment. We work with ICBs and CHC teams and can supply the evidence and reporting these packages require.
Private funding
Paying directly, either in full or as a top-up alongside council funding. Invoicing is monthly and itemised by visit, with no registration or assessment fees and no long tie-in contract.
Get a figure for your situation
The free assessment comes first, and the written quote follows it. Nothing is signed on the day.
