UK CARE GUIDE: BEWARE THE 20 HIDDEN COSTS OF CARE HOMES

UK CARE GUIDE: BEWARE THE 20 HIDDEN COSTS OF CARE HOMES

New research from UK Care Guide has revealed 20 hidden costs that can easily add £500 a month to care home fees.

Research from UK Care Guide earlier this year had found that, on average care home fees had risen 11% in the past year, with some regions now paying in excess of £50,000 per annum.

When considering a care home for a loved one, many families will focus on the headline care home fees. However, beneath the surface, additional layers of cost can significantly increase overall expenditure.
Looking at the often overlooked or underestimated expenses, from personal care needs to seemingly minor amenities like internet connectivity or magazine subscriptions, UK Care Guide undertook detailed research to help better understand the supplementary charges that can cumulatively add up to £500 a month to the standard fees.

Additional Service
Estimated Cost
1.
Additional Care – such as specialised bathing or extra mealtime help
Between £50-£200 per week
2.
Medical Expenses – exclusive treatments or specialised medicine
Between £10-£150 per week
3.
Activity and Outing Fees – such as theatre trips, special workshops or outings
On average £10-£50 weekly
4.
Hairdressing/Personal Grooming – haircuts, manicures or other treatments
From £5 to £50
5.
TV and Phone – specialised sports or film channels
£5 to £30 per week
6.
Laundry Services – delicate washing or dry cleaning
£5 to £20 per week
7.
Special Dietary Meals – dietary or allergen-free plans
Between £5 and £50 per week
8.
One to One Care Sessions – personalised therapy, specialised recreational activities, focused educational sessions
Sessions can be between £20 and £100 each
9.
Physiotherapy – specialised exercise, pain relief techniques and mobility training
Sessions vary between £30 – £70
10.
Chiropody – toenail cutting, corn removal and general foot health checks
Regular visits range between £20-£50
11.
Dental Care – routine check ups and more complicated procedures
Ranges between £25-£200 per visit
12.
Optician Services – regular eye exams, updates to glasses or eye treatments
£20 to £100 per visit
13
Alternative Therapies – holistic treatments including acupuncture, aromatherapy or massage
Sessions can be range from £25 to £80
14.
Transportation Services – transport to outside appointments, family events or leisure outings outside of standard activities
Typically between £10 and £60 per trip
15.
Guest Meals – encouraging visits for family and friends, some homes offer a communal dining meal option
£5 to £20 per meal
16.
Internet / WiFi Services – high speed or private internet connections
Weekly costs range from £5 and £20
17.
Specialist Equipment Rental – mobility aids, adjustable beds or other essential equipment
Rentals can fluctuate between £10 and £50 weekly
18.
Toiletries and Personal Items – variety of products ranging from skincare to comfort items
Can vary between £5 and £30
19.
Newspaper or Magazine Subscriptions – one off purchases or subscriptions
Costs range between £2 to £10 weekly
20.
Insurance – peace of mind against potential damage or theft
An extra £5 to £20 weekly is standard

Saq Hussain from UK Care Guide said: “Navigating the intricacies of care home costs in the UK is more than just understanding the upfront fees. As evident from our research, a wide range of ancillary costs can influence the overall financial commitment of ensuring a loved one’s wellbeing in a care facility.
“These ‘hidden’ costs, often overlooked in the initial research phase, play a significant role in the long-term affordability and sustainability of care home placements. While the transparency and inclusivity of fees can vary among care homes, being equipped with thorough knowledge will help families make informed decisions.
“Furthermore, it encourages proactive discussions with care home managers and administrators, allowing families to negotiate, where possible, and tailor the best care package that meets financial capability and the resident’s needs.
“Overall, understanding the full spectrum of care home expenses is essential. It’s not just about cost but about securing an environment where residents can thrive, engage, and live their later years with dignity, comfort, and joy.”

Leicester TV

Dreamed It. Did It. Helping Adults Rediscover Childhood Dreams

Dreamed It. Did It. Helping Adults Rediscover Childhood Dreams

Memorable and sustainable Christmas gifts for the workplace

Memorable and sustainable Christmas gifts for the workplace

Red launches NEW EVO PRO Waterproof Changing Robe, with now industry leading 15k waterproofing and 8k breathability

Red launches NEW EVO PRO Waterproof Changing Robe, with now industry leading 15k waterproofing and 8k breathability

Education Technology Day must be extended to prisons

Education Technology Day must be extended to prisons

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Housing shortfall calls for public-private collaboration

Housing shortfall calls for public-private collaboration