How Much Does a Dementia Care Home Cost Per Week in 2025?
Dementia care costs in 2025: A clear look at weekly rates, funding, and support across the UK.
Is the cost of dementia care keeping you awake at night? You’re not alone.
For many families across the UK, the need for dementia care arises gradually—but the associated costs can arrive all at once. Whether you’re supporting a loved one with early-stage memory loss or arranging full-time residential care for someone in the later stages of dementia, the financial burden can feel overwhelming.
At Home Instead New Forest, we understand the emotional weight of these decisions, and we’re here to provide clear, practical information to help you plan with confidence.
This blog outlines the real cost of dementia care in 2025—what families are paying, how prices vary across the country, and what financial support might be available.
Dementia Care: Why Is It So Expensive?
Dementia is a progressive condition, which means the level of care someone needs can change dramatically over time. From light home assistance to 24-hour nursing supervision, the type and intensity of support required plays a big role in determining the cost.
Compared with general elderly care, dementia support tends to cost more due to specialist training, additional staffing, and the complexity of care routines.
Residential Dementia Care: Weekly Costs in 2025
Residential care homes offer 24-hour supervision for people who are no longer safe living on their own but do not require full-time nursing. These homes typically support residents with washing, dressing, eating, and managing medication.
As of 2025, the UK average cost of residential dementia care is £1,449 per week, but this can vary by region:
- Greater London: £1,756/week
- South East: £1,411/week
- Yorkshire & the Humber: £1,052/week
- North East: £1,126/week
Some homes may charge extra for services such as physiotherapy, personal care products or special dietary needs, so it’s important to check what’s included in the quoted rate.
Nursing Homes for Dementia: What’s the Cost?
For those in the advanced stages of dementia—or individuals with complex medical conditions—a nursing home may be more appropriate. These homes provide the same round-the-clock personal care as residential homes but with the addition of qualified nursing staff.
The average cost of nursing dementia care in 2025 is £1,597 per week, with prices topping £1,900 per week in parts of London.
Families can expect higher costs when specialist dementia units are involved or if more intensive clinical supervision is needed.
Home-Based Dementia Care: Hourly and Live-In Costs
Many families in the New Forest and surrounding areas choose to support their loved ones at home for as long as possible. Home care allows individuals to remain in familiar surroundings, with help tailored to their daily routines and preferences.
There are different levels of home support:
Visiting Care
This involves a care professional coming into the home for a set number of hours each week.
- Average hourly rate: £25–£31
- Additional call-out fees: Around £4.50 per visit
- Total weekly cost: Dependent on number of hours required
- Starting weekly cost: £1,595
- Best suited for: Individuals needing 24-hour help but who are medically stable
- From: £275 per day (for three days to five weeks)
Live-In Dementia Care
With live-in care, a trained carer stays in the home to provide round-the-clock assistance.
Short-Term Respite at Home
Some families use live-in carers for temporary periods, for example, after a hospital stay or when a regular carer takes a break.
While home care may seem more affordable at first, the cost can escalate as the level of need increases.
Regional Price Differences: What Are Families Paying?
Dementia care costs vary widely across the UK. Below is a snapshot of average weekly costs for 2025:
| Region | Residential | Nursing | Hourly Home Care |
| Greater London | £1,476 | £1,619 | £25 |
| South East | £1,411 | £1,552 | £28 |
| North West | £1,042 | £1,312 | £25 |
| East Midlands | £1,039 | £1,175 | £24 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £1,052 | £1,292 | £24 |
| West Midlands | £1,110 | £1,229 | £24 |
| North East | £943 | £988 | £23 |
Because of these differences, some families explore care options in nearby regions where fees may be more manageable.
Respite Care: A Short-Term Solution
If you’re caring for someone at home and need a break, respite care may be an option. It can also be a useful way to trial a care home before making a longer-term commitment.
- Residential respite care: £1,552 per week
- Nursing respite care: £1,678 per week
Short stays like these can be arranged at short notice, especially following a hospital discharge.
Who Pays for Dementia Care?
This is often the most difficult part of the conversation. In the UK, how care is funded depends on a financial assessment, which considers the individual’s income, savings and property.
2024/25 Financial Thresholds (England):
- Under £14,250 in assets: Eligible for full local authority funding
- £14,250 to £23,250: Partial funding available
- Over £23,250: Self-funded
- Under £20,000 in assets: Full council funding
- £20,000–£100,000: Partial support
- Over £100,000: Full payment until £86,000 has been spent on care
- Funded Nursing Care (FNC): For those in nursing homes requiring medical support. Standard weekly rate is £235.88.
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC): Full funding for individuals with significant healthcare needs. Not means-tested but difficult to obtain.
These thresholds will change in October 2025:
Can the NHS Help?
Some individuals may qualify for additional help from the NHS:
You cannot receive both FNC and CHC at the same time.
The Lifetime Cost of Dementia
The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that the average lifetime cost of dementia care is £100,000 per person. Around 63% of this is paid by individuals and families—making dementia care one of the least publicly funded forms of care in the UK.
Will We Have to Sell the Family Home?
This is a very real concern for many. If your loved one needs to move permanently into a care home and they own property, the value of their home may be included in the financial assessment unless it is still lived in by:
- A spouse or partner
- A dependent relative
In some cases, deferred payment arrangements or equity release may allow you to postpone selling the home. It’s important to get financial advice before making any decisions.
Planning Ahead: What Can Families Do?
While it’s never easy to think about future care needs, early planning can help ease the pressure later on. Consider:
- Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA): Gives trusted individuals legal authority to make decisions
- Advance Decisions: Documents outlining preferences for treatment
- State Benefits: Attendance Allowance, Pension Credit and Carer’s Allowance can offer financial help
- Budgeting Tools: Use care cost calculators to estimate future expenses
Support in the New Forest
At Home Instead New Forest, we specialise in providing dementia care at home—whether for a few hours each week or full-time live-in care. Our care professionals are trained in dementia support and understand how important it is to maintain dignity, routine and peace of mind.
We’re happy to help families navigate funding, understand what support is available, and put together a care plan that works.
Final Thoughts
Dementia care is one of the most expensive and emotionally charged areas of later-life support. But you don’t have to face these decisions alone.
If you’d like to talk through options for your loved one in the New Forest area, please get in touch with our team at Home Instead. We’re here to provide guidance that’s clear, compassionate and tailored to your family’s needs—whatever stage you’re at.
Areas We Serve
Lymington, Brockenhurst, New Milton, Totton, Lyndhurst & the surrounding areas.
BH23 8, BH24 4, BH25 5, BH25 6, BH25 7, SO40 2, SO40 3, SO40 4, SO40 7, SO40 8, SO40 9, SO41 0, SO41 3, SO41 5, SO41 6, SO41 8, SO41 9, SO42 7, SO43 7, SO45 1, SO45 2, SO45 3, SO45 4, SO45 5, SO45 6
5 Rashley Mews, High St, Lymington SO41 9AR, UK
01590 637 250