TAKE CARE: Cost of residential care varies by more than £800 a week in different areas across Britain

• The weekly cost of residential care varies by more than £800 across Great Britain – ranging from £1,488 in Islington, London, to £621 in Blaenau Gwent, Wales
• London dominates Britain’s most costly residential care, followed by Windsor & Maidenhead and Elmbridge, Surrey
• Stoke-on-Trent, Blackpool and Merthyr Tydfil are some of the least expensive locations for residential care
• On average, there is a £229 difference between the cost of weekly residential care and council paid fees

Legal & General Retail Retirement launches Care Concierge, believed to be a first of its kind service to help people understand their funding options and find later life care.

To help people more effectively plan for the cost of long-term care, and find the right care as quickly as possible (in as little as 24 hours if needed), Legal & General has launched its Care Concierge Service. This includes a free 15 minute initial consultation by phone and an online advice hub.

Residential care costs across Britain

The most expensive areas for residential care costs are overwhelmingly in Greater London boroughs, with Islington (£1,488), Westminster (£1,483) and Hammersmith & Fulham (£1,468) topping the tables for weekly costs. Outside of the capital, Windsor & Maidenhead (£1,203) and Elmbridge, Surrey (£1,142) have the highest costs for private residential care.

With care costs so significant, one in four residents will run out of money at some point, emphasising the need to plan for the cost of care early in retirement.

However, there are areas in the country where the care costs are lower, with Stoke-on-Trent (£646), Blackpool (£644) and Merthyr Tydfil (£641) having some of the lowest costs for residential care in Great Britain. The least expensive cost is £621 a week in Blaenau Gwent, Wales. [Specific costs for every council across Great Britain available upon request]

Table: Varying care costs across most populated UK cities

Differences in the cost of private care and council paid fee

Even in many of the least expensive locations for residential care in Britain there is a disparity between the cost of private care and the local council paid fee. On average, there is a £229 difference in this figure across Great Britain.

The biggest difference is in Hammersmith & Fulham, London, at £814 and the smallest difference can be found in Bristol, where there is just a £20 disparity. This is particularly relevant as research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies found that the amount of money spent per person on long-term care by the state has fallen by 31% over the last decade, with cuts varying considerably geographically⁴.

Legal & General Retail Retirement launches Care Concierge Service

To help people better navigate the complexities of care, Legal & General Retail Retirement has today launched its Care Concierge Service.

The service, Legal & General’s first formal entry into the care market, offers a personal service to help people understand, find and fund later life care. This includes a dedicated online hub, along with a confidential telephone advisory service, giving personalised guidance on current or future care needs. A care cost calculator, and a choice of tools, also help people to better understand the process, alongside specific access to care funding advice.