Free tools

Three quick tools to help you plan care at home

Work out a rough weekly cost, see which type of care may suit, and check what help with paying could be available. Each one takes a minute or two.

Free to use
No sign-up
Nothing saved or sent
Figures with sources

Tool 1 · Costs

Care cost calculator

Visiting care is usually charged by the hour, which makes it hard to picture the weekly bill. Put in the hours you have in mind and the calculator does the sums.

Choose the hourly rate, visit length, visits a day and days a week
See the weekly, four-weekly and yearly cost
Starts at the Homecare Association minimum rate, so you can put in a real quote

Work out a cost

Tool 2 · Types of care

Which type of care is right?

Visiting care, overnight care, live-in care, respite: it is not always obvious which fits. Answer a few questions and we’ll suggest a good place to start.

Five quick questions about help, nights and living arrangements
A suggested type of care with the reasons why
A link to read more, and to find an agency near you

Answer five questions

Tool 3 · Funding

Funding checker

Many families do not know the council may help with the cost of care, or that Attendance Allowance is not means tested. This checker explains what may apply in England.

See whether the council may help, based on savings
Check if Attendance Allowance may apply, and at which rate
Plain explanations with links to the official rules

Check what help may apply

Where the numbers come from

Every figure in our tools comes from a published source, and we check them when they change each year. The tools give a guide, not financial advice.

The next step

Ready to talk to an agency near you?

When you have a rough idea of the care and the budget, tell us where care is needed. We’ll match you with a local agency that can give you a proper quote.

Free for families
Only CQC-registered agencies
No obligation

Get matched