Live-in care costs with Starling Homecare start from £255 a day, around £1,785 a week. Couples live-in care is from £295 a day. Each rate is plus a weekly food allowance for the carer. Regulated home care is exempt from VAT, so there is nothing to add on top.
Cost is usually the first question families ask, and it deserves a clear answer. This guide explains what you pay, what is included, what can change the price, and how it compares to a care home.
We are a CQC regulated, family-run provider based in St Albans, supporting families across Hertfordshire. You are welcome to call us on 01727 324 127 whenever you would like to talk it through.
In this guide
- What does live-in care cost?
- What is included in the cost?
- What can change the price?
- How it compares to a care home
- Help with the cost of live-in care
- Live-in care costs across Hertfordshire
What does live-in care cost?
Live-in care for one person starts from £255 a day. That is around £1,785 a week. Couples live-in care, with one carer supporting both, starts from £295 a day.
Each rate is plus a weekly food allowance for your live-in carer. Regulated home care is exempt from VAT. Importantly, there are no hidden fees, and you receive a written quote before anything begins.
What is included in the cost?
With a regulated provider, your fee covers far more than a carer's time. In practice, it pays for recruitment and vetting, training and supervision, and a named registered manager who is accountable for the care.
It also covers cover itself. When your carer takes a break or is unwell, we arrange replacement support, so the care does not simply stop. This is the real difference from an introduction agency, where a one-off fee introduces a self-employed carer and the family carries the rest.
What can change the price?
Every quote is built around the person. A few things can affect the figure:
- how much support is needed, and how complex it is
- whether care is for one person or a couple
- whether you need regular waking-night support
- any specialist needs, such as advanced dementia support
Of course, we explain all of this clearly before you decide, so there are no surprises.
How it compares to a care home
A care home charges an all-in weekly fee. It covers accommodation, meals and care, at any level of support that week. By contrast, live-in care is a daily rate for one-to-one support in your own home.
For one person with steady needs, the two are often similar in cost. The deciding factors then become continuity, independence and staying at home. For a couple, one live-in carer supporting both can work out very differently from two care home places. Our guide on live-in care or a care home sets the two side by side.
Help with the cost of live-in care
Depending on circumstances, you may not have to meet the full cost yourself. Local authority funding may contribute, based on a needs and financial assessment. In addition, some people with complex health needs qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which the NHS funds in full.
You can begin with your local council, Hertfordshire County Council. Our care funding guide explains the routes and how to apply, and we are glad to talk through what might apply to you.
Live-in care costs across Hertfordshire
We provide live-in care across Hertfordshire, from St Albans and Harpenden to Hemel Hempstead, Hitchin, Hertford and the towns between. The day rate is the same wherever you are in the county, because a live-in carer lives in the home.
Wherever you are, you receive a clear written quote before anything begins.
Common questions about live-in care costs
How much does live-in care cost?
With Starling Homecare, live-in care costs from £255 a day, around £1,785 a week, and couples live-in care from £295 a day, each plus the carer's weekly food allowance. Regulated home care is VAT exempt, and you receive a written quote before anything begins.
Is live-in care cheaper than a care home?
It depends on the level of need. For one person with steady needs, live-in care and a care home are often similar in cost, so the decision usually comes down to continuity and staying at home. For a couple, one live-in carer supporting both can work out very differently from two care home places.
Are there any hidden fees with live-in care?
No. We provide a written quote before anything begins, with no long-term contract and a 90-day risk-free guarantee. The carer's weekly food allowance is the only addition, and we explain it clearly upfront. Regulated home care is also VAT exempt.
Our care management team writes and reviews this guidance, led by our CQC registered manager. Starling Homecare is a family-run, CQC regulated home care provider based in St Albans, supporting families across Hertfordshire.
Understanding the cost is an important step, and we keep it clear and honest from the first call. If you would like a written quote, or simply want to talk the options through, you are welcome to call us on 01727 324 127. You can also read more about our live-in care service. We will help you weigh it up calmly, whatever you decide.
Arranging Care Is Simple
Starting care can feel like a big step. We keep it calm and straightforward, and we are here to guide you from your very first call.
1. Talk to us
Get in touch by phone or request a callback. We will listen, answer your questions and help you understand the options, with no pressure to decide anything straight away.
2. A home visit and initial consultation
We arrange a visit to understand your routines, your home and what matters most to you. Together we agree an initial consultation and shape the support that feels right.
3. Your care begins
A small, familiar team starts your care, arriving at the agreed times and staying involved as your needs change. We remain your trusted adviser throughout.
Whenever you are ready, we are here to help.