UK Nursing Home Cost Calculator
Estimate the weekly cost of a UK nursing home in 2026, with the £267.68/week NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC) contribution automatically deducted. Most calculators don't include FNC and overstate what families actually pay. Free. No sign-up. Reviewed by a working UK care-home operator.
Worked example: Eileen, 86, North East England — nursing home with FNC
Eileen has advanced Parkinson's, requires PEG-tube feeding, and has been recommended for a nursing placement after a hospital stay. She owns a flat worth £140,000 (no qualifying relative lives there) and has £30,000 in savings. The hospital nurse confirms she'll qualify for standard FNC.
Her family runs the calculator: England · North of England · Standard FNC · £170,000 (£140k flat + £30k savings).
- Weekly nursing fee: £1,512 UK average × 0.85 (North) = £1,285/week.
- Less FNC: −£267.68/week (paid by ICB direct to the home).
- Net weekly cost: £1,018/week (~£52,950/year).
- Means test: Eileen's £170,000 total capital is well above the £23,250 upper limit — she's a self-funder.
- Eileen pays: the full £1,018/week net.
- Council pays: £0 (but the £267.68 FNC contribution is already coming from the NHS).
How nursing home funding works
The means test (England)
The same capital thresholds apply to nursing homes as to residential care, but the home is now usually counted (unlike home care). Per the DHSC 2026/27 charging circular:
Above £23,250: self-funder.
£14,250–£23,250: tariff income (£1/wk per £250 above lower limit) plus most of income.
Below £14,250: capital ignored; income still assessed.
The 12-week property disregard
If your parent moves into permanent nursing care, the value of their home is disregarded for the first 12 weeks. This breathing space exists so families don't have to make property decisions in a crisis. After 12 weeks, the home is counted unless a spouse, civil partner, dependent child, or qualifying relative still lives there — or unless a Deferred Payment Agreement is in place.
NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC) — what it is and isn't
FNC is a flat NHS contribution toward the nursing element of a nursing-home placement. The 2026/27 rates were confirmed in the government's April 2026 nursing funding announcement:
- Standard rate: £267.68/week (up 5.4% from £254.06 in 2025/26)
- Higher rate: £368.24/week (legacy 2007 cohort only)
FNC is paid by the Integrated Care Board (ICB) directly to the home — not to you or your parent. The home's invoice should drop by £267.68/week, or the gross fee should be unchanged with the FNC offsetting your contribution. This varies by contract, and if it's not clear how FNC is being applied, ask the home for a written breakdown.
Eligibility: anyone in a CQC-registered nursing bed who needs registered-nurse input and is not on full CHC. Most nursing-home residents qualify automatically — the assessment is completed by an ICB nurse assessor.
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) — the bigger funding route
If your parent's overall needs are primarily about health rather than social care, the NHS may pay the full weekly fee under NHS Continuing Healthcare — not just the nursing element. CHC is non-means-tested and applies in any setting (home, nursing home, residential). It's set out in the National Framework (2022 revision). Eligibility is harder to win than FNC, but worth requesting if needs are complex. Use our NHS CHC Eligibility Checker to find out whether to ask for an assessment.
Different rules across the UK
Wales uses a single £50,000 threshold (more generous). Scotland provides free personal care plus a separate nursing payment, with means-test thresholds of £22,750 / £35,750. Northern Ireland uses the same £14,250 / £23,250 thresholds as England. Use our main UK Care Home Cost Calculator for nation-by-nation comparison.
How this calculator works (methodology)
Nursing home fees are estimated as follows:
- Base weekly cost £1,512 UK average — drawn from Lottie 2026 care-home data and carehome.co.uk's 2026 advice page (£1,519). LaingBuisson's separately-published self-funder vs council averages confirm a c.20% private uplift.
- Regional multiplier — London ×1.20, South East ×1.15, North of England ×0.85, Wales ×0.85, rest of UK ×1.00. London nursing fees routinely exceed £1,800/wk in central locations.
- FNC offset. If standard FNC is selected (the default for most residents), £267.68/week is deducted from the gross fee. Higher-rate FNC (legacy 2007 cohort) deducts £368.24/week.
- Means test by nation (England/NI £14,250/£23,250; Wales £50,000; Scotland £22,750/£35,750), with tariff income £1/wk per £250 above the lower limit. Income contribution assumed at ~£100/week for illustration.
The result is a reasonable middle estimate. Individual home fees vary by ±20% within a region, so use this as a planning baseline rather than a quote.
How to use this calculator
- Pick your parent's nation. Funding rules differ across the UK.
- Choose region. London is materially more expensive than the rest of the country.
- Confirm FNC status. If your parent is in a nursing home (not residential) and not on full CHC, leave Standard FNC selected — the vast majority of nursing residents qualify. Higher rate FNC applies only to a legacy cohort (people on the high band before October 2007).
- Enter total assets: savings plus property value (only enter property if it would be counted — see "12-week disregard" above).
What's NOT included in this calculator
- Top-up fees — if you choose a home above the council's standard rate, a third party (typically a family member) must pay the difference, often £100–£500/week.
- NHS Continuing Healthcare — if eligible, the NHS pays the entire fee, not just the nursing element. Check separately with our CHC Eligibility Checker.
- Attendance Allowance (£76.70 lower / £114.60 higher per week, 2026/27) — stops after 28 days if the council funds the placement; continues for self-funders.
- One-off costs — admission fees, refundable deposits, clothing labelling, hairdressing and chiropody.
- Personal Expenses Allowance — £31.80/week your parent keeps from their pension if council-funded.
- Specific home variation — within a region, the cheapest and most expensive nursing homes differ by 50%+. The estimate is a regional middle, not a quote from a specific home.
Every figure — base costs, regional multipliers, FNC rates, means-test thresholds — is verified annually against the DHSC 2026/27 charging circular, the official 2026/27 FNC announcement, the Lottie 2026 care-home dataset, and the carehome.co.uk Caring Britain 2026 industry report. Sources are linked inline.
The calculator is reviewed by Hinesh Patel, owner-operator of Birkdale Village Care Home, with over a decade of UK care-sector experience. The methodology — including how FNC is offset against the gross fee — is published openly above so you can see exactly how the numbers are produced.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a nursing home cost per week in the UK in 2026?
The UK average self-funded weekly fee is around £1,512 (Lottie 2026), with carehome.co.uk citing £1,519. The typical range is £850–£1,550/week, with London exceeding £1,800/week in central locations and the North of England averaging closer to £1,200/week. Nursing homes cost approximately £200/week more than residential homes because they must employ a registered nurse on duty 24/7.
What is the difference between residential care and nursing care?
A residential care home provides personal care (washing, dressing, meals, daily living support). A nursing home additionally has registered nurses on site 24 hours a day, providing clinical care for residents with significant medical needs — catheter management, complex wound care, end-of-life care, PEG-tube feeding, syringe drivers, post-stroke clinical observation. Nursing homes typically cost £200/week more, and the NHS contributes £267.68/week toward the nursing element via FNC.
What is FNC and how much is it in 2026?
NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC) is a flat-rate weekly NHS contribution toward the nursing element of a nursing home placement. The 2026/27 standard rate is £267.68/week (up 5.4% from £254.06 in 2025/26), effective 1 April 2026. The legacy higher rate for residents who were on the high band before October 2007 is £368.24/week. FNC is paid by the Integrated Care Board directly to the care home.
Who qualifies for NHS-funded Nursing Care?
Anyone in a CQC-registered nursing bed who needs the help of a registered nurse, and who is NOT eligible for full NHS Continuing Healthcare, qualifies for FNC. The assessment is completed by an ICB nurse assessor using the FNC Determination Tool. If your parent is in a nursing home, FNC should be considered automatically — push back if it hasn't been assessed.
What's the difference between FNC and CHC?
FNC pays only for the nursing component (£267.68/week); the resident still pays board, lodging, and personal care from their own income and capital, subject to the means test. NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is fully NHS-funded — the NHS pays the entire weekly fee, regardless of finances. CHC is awarded only when the person's primary need is health-related, assessed via the Decision Support Tool across 12 care domains. Use our NHS CHC Eligibility Checker to see which applies.
Is a nursing home cheaper than 24-hour care at home?
Usually yes for individuals. A UK average nursing home is £1,512/week vs £2,000+/week for 24-hour active home care. Live-in care (a single carer with daily breaks) sits at £1,200–£1,500/week and is genuinely competitive with a nursing home for one person. For couples, live-in care is significantly cheaper because one carer supports both — £1,500–£2,000/week vs two nursing-home places at £3,000+.
Will I have to sell my house to pay for a nursing home?
Possibly, but not always. For permanent residential or nursing care in England, the home is counted in the means test unless a spouse, civil partner, dependent child, or qualifying relative still lives there. The first 12 weeks are disregarded. A Deferred Payment Agreement lets the council take a charge on the property instead of forcing a sale — the loan is repaid (with interest, currently 4.75%) when the property is eventually sold.
Does Attendance Allowance stop in a nursing home?
Yes if the council is funding the placement (after 28 days). For self-funders paying the full nursing-home fee themselves, Attendance Allowance continues. The 2026/27 rates are £76.70/week (lower) and £114.60/week (higher). Attendance Allowance also stops automatically if your parent is awarded NHS Continuing Healthcare.
How do I appeal an NHS CHC refusal?
First request a local resolution review from the Integrated Care Board (ICB). If unresolved, escalate to NHS England for an Independent Review Panel. Final escalation is to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Many initially-refused cases are overturned at review — gather your parent's care plan, medication list, recent hospital letters, and care home daily logs as evidence.
How much do nursing homes cost in London vs the North?
The regional spread is significant. London averages £1,800+/week for nursing care, with central locations exceeding £2,000. The North of England averages closer to £1,200/week, with the cheapest North-East homes around £1,100. The South East and East of England sit between (£1,500–£1,700). Wales and Scotland are typically 10–15% below the UK average.
Last updated: May 2026. Sources: FNC 2026/27 announcement (gov.uk); Lottie 2026 care home cost data; carehome.co.uk Caring Britain 2026; DHSC 2026/27 charging circular.