More than half of UK retirees are worried about whether they will be able to afford care in the future, new research from Which? shows. The consumer champion's survey of 2,000 adults, which included 263 retirees, highlights the growing financial strain of care home fees.
Rising concern among retirees
Of the UK retirees Which? surveyed in May, 55% said they are concerned about affording care in the future, up from 46% in 2024 and 51% last year. The research underlines the scale of the challenge Brits face as they look to a time in life when they could require care.
Sam Richardson, Which? Money Editor, said: "Our research has shown that increasing numbers of retirees are concerned about how they would cover the cost of care should they require it in future, with a care home bill likely to extend into the tens of thousands of pounds per year."
Typical weekly costs
Care in a residential home typically costs £1,300 per week in Britain if you pay for it yourself, according to data from the care-finding service Lottie. How much you pay depends on the type of care needed as well as where you live.
Nursing care costs on average £1,512 per week, while nursing dementia care – which is typically the most extensive kind of support – costs £1,585. Costs, however, vary widely depending on region.
It is no surprise concerns over how to cover the cost of care are rising given that this has been rising faster than inflation for a number of years. The challenge of knowing how long a person will be in a care home adds to the uncertainty and hampers efforts to calculate the total bill.
Funding and reform
If money runs out, local authority funding does kick in, but in some situations this may mean moving care homes at a time when doing so could leave a person anxious and afraid.
Research from social care consultancy Carterwood found that across Britain the average quoted weekly fee for personal residential care for self-funders rose 8.5% between 2024 and 2025. Rising wages and the increasing cost of food and energy have increased the cost of providing care in recent years, but other factors are at play.
For years, there has been a substantial gap between the fees paid by self-funders and local authorities, as councils on tight budgets face rising demand for services. The majority of care homes in the UK are run by private companies. Researchers have warned that funds are leaking out of the care system, rather than being reinvested to improve services.
Analysis by Reclaiming our Regional Economies in 2025 found private care companies delivering public-sector-funded care in the North East, South Yorkshire and West Midlands made £256million profit between 2021 and 2024. Despite providing a vital service, care workers are some of the lowest paid across the job market. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has warned turnover related to low pay is a huge drain on the social care sector, from the cost of covering vacancies to time lost to hiring and training staff.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has vowed to fix England's "broken" social care system. His possible options for reform range from a basic level of free personal care for all, which is similar to what is offered in Scotland, to a cap on care costs or an NHS-style care system that is free at the point of use.
The Casey Commission – which was launched last year to review social care in England – has been brought forward, with final recommendations due in 2027. But there is no guarantee Baroness Casey's recommendations will be implemented and, if they are, it may take years to bring them in. A previous proposal by Boris Johnson's government to cap care costs at £86,000 per person was postponed and eventually ditched after it was deemed unaffordable.
Mr Richardson said: "It’s essential that if your care needs, or those of a loved one, are developing, that you seek advice on possible funding available."
"Depending on your personal savings, you may qualify for local authority funding and in some cases you may be eligible for support under the NHS continuing healthcare (CHC) scheme."
"If you are required to self-fund, it’s worth exploring all the options available, from cover under existing health insurance to an immediate needs annuity."
