This is the question everyone wants answered and almost nobody will answer clearly. Most care home websites either avoid the topic entirely or hide behind phrases like “fees are tailored to individual needs.”
That is not good enough. If you are trying to work out whether residential care is an option for someone you love, you deserve a straight answer about how the money works.
Why there is no single price
Residential care for adults with learning disabilities is not like booking a hotel room. The weekly fee depends on the level of support someone needs, and that varies enormously from person to person.
Someone who needs minimal support with daily living will have a different fee to someone who needs one-to-one support throughout the day. The assessment of need drives the cost, not a fixed price list.
That said, there are benchmarks. Local authority funded placements in the South West typically sit within a range that is set by the commissioning authority. Privately funded placements are agreed directly between the family and the provider.
We will not quote you a number on a website because it would be meaningless without knowing the person. But we will have an honest conversation about costs from the very first phone call. No evasion, no waiting until you are emotionally invested before talking about money.
Who pays
In most cases, residential care for adults with learning disabilities is funded by the local authority. This happens after a needs assessment carried out by a social worker, followed by a financial assessment to determine whether the person or the local authority will pay.
There are several funding routes:
Local authority funded. The council pays the care home directly based on an agreed weekly rate. This is the most common route for people with learning disabilities who meet the eligibility criteria.
Continuing Healthcare (CHC). If someone has a primary health need, the NHS may fund their placement in full. This is assessed separately and has its own criteria.
Section 117 aftercare. If someone has been detained under certain sections of the Mental Health Act, the local authority and NHS share the cost of their aftercare, which can include residential placement.
Self-funded. In some cases, families fund the placement themselves. This usually applies where the person has savings or assets above the means-test threshold.
Top-up fees.If a local authority funded placement is at a rate below the provider’s usual fee, families may be asked to pay a top-up. This should always be discussed openly and agreed in writing before a placement starts.
What the fee covers at Catherine House
When you pay a placement fee at Catherine House, it covers accommodation, all meals, utilities, day to day support, activities, and the staffing needed to deliver the agreed care plan.
Personal items such as toiletries, hairdressing, and clothing are not included in the placement fee. These are the resident’s own expense, as they would be if they were living independently. We will always be clear about what is and is not covered before a placement starts, so there are no surprises for anyone.
What to ask any care home about costs
If you are comparing providers, these questions will give you a clear picture:
What is the weekly fee based on this person’s assessed needs? What does the fee include? Are there any additional charges for activities, toiletries, or personal items? Is there a top-up fee and if so, how much and what does it cover? What happens to the fee if needs increase? How much notice is required for fee changes? Is there a retainer fee if the person is in hospital?
Any provider who cannot answer these clearly is not one you should be considering.
Our approach to transparency
We discuss costs openly from the first conversation. If you call Laura to ask about a placement, she will talk you through how fees work, what funding routes are available, and what the realistic cost is likely to be. We do this before you visit, not after.
We would rather lose an enquiry by being honest about costs upfront than gain a placement by avoiding the subject until it is too late to walk away.