Home care prices in Newark
If you’re comparing home care providers, here’s our figure without the runaround. Our standard private rate is £31 an hour, or £17 for a 30 minute visit, with a flat £2.50 travel charge per visit. Home care is VAT-exempt, so that’s the price you actually pay, not a number that grows at quote stage. Below you’ll find our full rates, the four ways families fund care with us, and what happens after you call. If you’re at an earlier stage and just weighing up what home care costs in general, see our guide to how much home care costs in Newark. It walks through the averages and what drives them.
If you’d rather talk it through with someone local than read the whole page, call us on 01636 646915 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday.
Our standard private rates
| Rate | |
|---|---|
| One hour visit | £31 |
| 30 minute visit | £17 |
| Travel per visit | £2.50 (flat fee, not mileage-based) |
| Bank holidays | Premium rate, confirmed at quote stage |
| Christmas Day | Premium rate, confirmed at quote stage |
VAT. Home care of this kind is exempt from VAT under welfare services rules (Group 7, Schedule 9, Value Added Tax Act 1994). The prices above are the total prices you pay.
Overnight, live-in and complex care are quoted separately because they vary considerably with the person’s needs. Call us and we will give you a clear quote before you commit to anything.
What our prices pay for
A reasonable question we hear from families is “why £31 an hour when I’ve seen agencies advertise lower?” Honest answer: because £31 funds the kind of care a CQC rated Good provider can actually sustain.
That price covers:
- Carers who are directly employed by Helping at Home, not booked through an agency. Every carer who comes to your door is on our payroll, with the training, supervision and accountability that goes with it.
- Above-the-Living-Wage pay for our carers, including paid travel time between visits and paid mileage, so carers aren’t financially punished for working in rural areas like Long Bennington or Collingham.
- Paid training and paid shadowing for every new carer, including the Care Certificate and annual mandatory training in safeguarding, medication, manual handling, infection control and dementia-informed practice.
- A built-in scheduling buffer between visits so carers aren’t rushing from one address to the next, and have time to do the visit properly.
- Office-based support including a Registered Manager, a Deputy Manager, a Care Co-ordinator, supervision, complaints handling and on-call cover.
- Birdie, our family app, included as standard so you can see visit notes, medication records and the next week’s rota.
- CQC regulation costs, insurance, DBS checks, ID badges, uniforms and PPE: the actual running costs of being a regulated care provider.
We’re not the cheapest provider in the area, and we’re not trying to be. Underfunded home care looks cheap on paper and costs families more in missed visits, rota chaos, agency carers and avoidable hospital admissions.
How much will you actually need?
The answer depends on the person, not the provider.
Light support
One 30-minute visit a day — medication prompt and check-in
~£140–£150
per week
Standard support
Two one-hour visits a day — morning wash and dress, plus evening meal and medication
~£440–£470
per week
Substantial support
Four one-hour visits a day for significant needs at home
~£880–£920
per week
Overnight or live-in care
Quoted on request — often less than a residential care home
Speak to us
free assessment, no hard sell
These are guides, not quotes. The right support depends on routines, dignity, risk and what your Mum or Dad actually needs. We'll work that out together at your free assessment.
The four ways families fund home care
Most families use one of these, or a combination. We accept all four.
1. Self-funded (private)
You pay the full rate above, which is the simplest route. You have full choice of provider and no eligibility process. Most people fund care from a combination of pension income, savings and benefits like Attendance Allowance (see below).
Worth knowing: the council’s financial thresholds for funded care matter even if you are paying privately. With capital under £14,250, the council pays the full assessed cost, subject to an income contribution. Between £14,250 and £23,250 there is a sliding contribution. Above £23,250, you self-fund entirely. For home care, the value of your main home is normally excluded from the capital calculation. That is different from residential care.
2. Local Authority Direct Payment
Nottinghamshire County Council (or Lincolnshire County Council for Grantham area residents) carries out a needs assessment. If it concludes that you have eligible care needs, and your finances qualify you for funded care, the Council can pay an agreed amount into your bank account each week. You then use that money to commission care from the provider of your choice. This is called a Direct Payment.
In practical terms:
- The Council decides what hourly rate it will pay. In Nottinghamshire this is typically lower than our private rate.
- If you choose a provider that costs more than the Council rate, you (or a family member) top up the difference.
- You keep full choice of provider, including providers like us that the Council does not directly contract.
- A social worker remains involved and reviews the care plan periodically.
If you’re already on a Direct Payment with another provider and you’d like to move to Helping at Home, the process is straightforward. We can talk you through it.
To start a Direct Payment from scratch, contact Nottinghamshire County Council Adult Social Care on 0300 500 80 80, or for Grantham area residents contact Lincolnshire County Council on 01522 782155.
3. NHS Continuing Healthcare
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is fully NHS-funded care for adults with significant and ongoing health needs. If a person qualifies, the NHS funds the entire cost of care, whether that’s at home or in a care home.
Critical point about CHC. Top-ups to an agreed CHC package are not permitted under the National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare. If a person is eligible for CHC, the NHS funds the assessed package in full. Families cannot pay extra to “upgrade” the package, change provider or extend hours. If the assessed package doesn’t meet the family’s wishes, the route is to challenge the assessment, not to top up.
Eligibility is determined by an NHS Continuing Healthcare assessment, usually triggered when a person’s needs change significantly, often around a hospital discharge or a deterioration at home. Assessment is done by the NHS, not by us, and the bar for eligibility is high.
If you think CHC may apply to your family member, the starting point is a conversation with the GP, district nurse or hospital discharge team about a CHC checklist assessment.
4. Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance is a tax-free, non means-tested benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions. It is for people of State Pension age who need help with personal care or supervision due to a physical or mental disability. The 2026-27 rates (current from 7 April 2026) are:
| Rate | Per week | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Lower rate (day OR night care needs) | £76.70 | £3,988.40 |
| Higher rate (day AND night care needs, or terminal illness) | £114.60 | £5,959.20 |
Attendance Allowance does not pay for care directly. It is income, paid into the recipient’s bank account, that families typically use to part-fund private home care.
To claim, complete form AA1 from GOV.UK or apply by phone on 0800 731 0122. Eligibility is based on care needs, not income or savings.
Home care vs a care home: the cost comparison
The instinctive assumption is often that a care home will be cheaper than home care. For higher-hours care that’s sometimes true, but the difference is smaller than people expect, and the trade-offs aren’t just financial.
| Care option | Typical weekly cost in this area | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Light home care (3 to 5 hours/week) | £100 to £170 | Often combined with a family carer doing the rest. |
| Standard home care (14 hours/week) | £440 to £470 | Two visits a day, suitable for many older people living at home. |
| Substantial home care (28 hours/week) | £880 to £920 | Four visits a day, suitable for high-needs people who want to stay at home. |
| Live-in care | Quoted on request | One carer in the home full-time; an alternative to residential care. |
| Residential care home (Nottinghamshire) | Approximately £900 to £1,500+ | Includes accommodation, food and 24-hour cover. Local Authority funded rate is lower; self-funders often pay more. |
| Nursing home | Approximately £1,200 to £1,800+ | Higher cost because of registered nurse on site. |
These are indicative. Real costs vary by need, location and provider. Source figures from Nottinghamshire County Council, LaingBuisson and homecare.co.uk industry data.
For families weighing the options, the financial calculation is only part of the picture. The other part is what matters to the person: their home, their routines, their independence and the people who know them.
Who decides what
It’s worth being clear about who controls which decision, because families often expect us to answer questions we genuinely can’t.
| Decision | Who decides |
|---|---|
| Whether you qualify for Local Authority funded care | Your local council (Nottinghamshire CC or Lincolnshire CC), after a needs and financial assessment |
| The hourly rate the Council will pay | The Council |
| Whether you qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare | The NHS, via a CHC assessment |
| Whether you qualify for Attendance Allowance | The Department for Work and Pensions |
| Which care provider you use | You, including if you’re on a Direct Payment |
| Our hourly rate | Us (it’s the same for all clients, no negotiation) |
| What care you actually need | A conversation between you, your family and us at the assessment |
If you’re stuck on the eligibility side, here are your starting points. Contact Nottinghamshire County Council Adult Social Care on 0300 500 80 80, or Lincolnshire County Council on 01522 782155. For anything triggering a CHC assessment, speak to your GP. We can also point you in the right direction.
What happens after you ask us about cost
- A short conversation by phone or email. We’ll ask what’s happening, what kind of help you think might be needed, and which funding route you’re likely to use. No commitment.
- A free home assessment. Courtney, Megan or Charlotte visits and works out, with you, what good care looks like. We’ll give you an honest hours estimate and a written quote based on those hours.
- A written care plan and price. No surprises. The quote shows weekly cost based on the agreed visit pattern, including the £2.50-per-visit travel charge.
- Funding route confirmed. If you’re self-funding, we agree a start date. If you’re using a Direct Payment, we coordinate with your social worker. If CHC is being assessed, we wait for the decision unless interim private cover is needed.
- Care starts and is reviewed. Care needs change, and so do prices, occasionally. We’ll give at least 28 days written notice of any price change.
Frequently asked questions
How much does home care cost in Newark?
Our private rate is £31 per hour or £17 for a 30 minute visit, with a flat £2.50 travel charge per visit. Premium rates apply on bank holidays and Christmas Day, confirmed at quote stage. Home care is VAT exempt.
Why is Helping at Home more expensive than some other agencies?
We pay our carers above the Real Living Wage, pay travel time and mileage between visits, never use agency staff, and run a built-in scheduling buffer between visits. The rate funds the kind of care a CQC rated Good provider can sustain, rather than the kind that quietly cuts corners.
Will Nottinghamshire County Council pay for my care?
If you have eligible care needs and your capital is below the council’s threshold (currently £23,250 in England), the Council may fund some or all of your care. Eligibility is decided by the Council after a needs assessment and a financial assessment, not by us. Call 0300 500 80 80 to start the process.
Can I top up the rate the council pays?
For Local Authority funded care, yes. If you choose a provider whose rate is higher than the Council’s agreed rate, you or a family member can pay the difference as a top-up. For NHS Continuing Healthcare the answer is different: top-ups to an agreed CHC package are not permitted under the National Framework.
Will the NHS pay for home care?
The NHS may fully fund care at home through NHS Continuing Healthcare if a person has significant and ongoing health needs. Eligibility is assessed by the NHS, the bar is high, and the assessment is usually triggered around a hospital discharge or a significant change in condition.
Can Attendance Allowance be used to pay for Helping at Home?
Yes. Attendance Allowance is paid as income into the recipient’s bank account, and families typically use it to part-fund private home care. The 2026-27 rates are £76.70 (lower) or £114.60 (higher) per week, tax-free.
Do you charge extra for evenings or weekends?
Standard evening and Saturday visits are charged at our standard rates. Bank holidays and Christmas Day are charged at a premium rate, which we confirm at quote stage so there are no surprises.
What about live-in or overnight care costs?
Both are quoted separately because they vary considerably with the person’s needs. Call us on 01636 646915 and we’ll give you a clear, honest figure.
How often do your prices change?
We review prices annually, usually in April, and give at least 28 days written notice of any change. We do not change prices mid-care-plan without notice.
Talk it through with someone local
Funding is the part families most often dread. It is also the part that usually turns out to be more manageable than expected, once it’s been talked through with someone who knows the system.
- Call 01636 646915, 8am to 6pm Monday to Saturday
- Email hello@helpingathome.co.uk
- Request a care assessment and we’ll be in touch when it suits you
For families coordinating care after a hospital stay, our hospital discharge support page explains what to ask before discharge day, including the right time to trigger a CHC checklist.
