Care home costs in Kent
Weekly fees for 2026, from the homes that publish them. Updated as homes confirm their prices.
There are 499 care homes registered with the CQC in Kent, South East. 34 have a weekly fee on record with us, each dated and traced to where it came from.
The typical residential care home fee in Kent is £1,470 a week, about £76,440 a year. The middle half of homes charge between £1,263 and £1,500. That is close to the South East average of £1,500. That is about 13% more than the England figure of £1,300.
Nursing care in Kent typically costs £1,535 a week, based on 6 nursing homes with a fee on record. The NHS pays a weekly contribution towards the nursing part of that fee, direct to the home. Dementia care is typically £1,500 a week.
Of the homes with a published fee, The Chestnuts Care Home in Gravesend is the least expensive at £950 a week and Hale Place Farmhouse in Tonbridge the most at £1,900. A gap that size within one council area is normal: the room, the building and whether nursing is included all move the price.
Compare with a live-in carer at home through PrimeCarers
About £76,440 a year
For a couple, two places: £2,940 a week
Nursing care: £1,535 a week
A live-in carer, at homeThe typical live-in carer near Kent, set by the carer
Staying at home could cost about £350 a week less, £18,200 over a year
A couple can share one carer, about £1,355 a week, £1,585 a week less than two places.
PrimeCarers runs this site. Carers on it are self-employed and set their own rates. Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them.
Least expensive care homes in Kent
| Care home | Town | CQC | From, a week | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A live-in carer at home, PrimeCarers For comparison. One carer can look after a couple | Near Kent | Not a care home | £1,120 | 24% below |
| The Chestnuts Care Home Dementia | Gravesend | CQC: Good | £950 | 35% below |
| Laureston House Residential Home Dementia | Dover | CQC: Not yet rated | £1,100 | 25% below |
| Laureston House Residential Home Dementia | Dover | CQC: Good | £1,100 | 25% below |
| St Heliers Care Home Dementia | Folkestone | CQC: Good | £1,140 | 22% below |
| Fairby Grange Dementia | Longfield | CQC: Good | £1,150 | 22% below |
| Riverlea House | Dover | CQC: Good | £1,200 | 18% below |
| Treetops Residential Home | Margate | CQC: Good | £1,200 | 18% below |
| Woodside Residential Care Home Dementia | Dover | CQC: Requires improvement | £1,250 | 15% below |
Most expensive care homes in Kent
| Care home | Town | CQC | From, a week | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hale Place Farmhouse Dementia | Tonbridge | CQC: Outstanding | £1,900 | 29% above |
| Nesbit House Care Home Nursing · Dementia | Sevenoaks | CQC: Good | £1,850 | 26% above |
| Martello Manor Hythe Limited Dementia | Hythe | CQC: Not yet rated | £1,600 | 9% above |
| Larchmere House Nursing Home Nursing · Dementia | Cranbrook | CQC: Requires improvement | £1,600 | 9% above |
| Harbledown Lodge Nursing · Dementia | Canterbury | CQC: Requires improvement | £1,600 | 9% above |
| Chestfield House Nursing · Dementia | Whitstable | CQC: Requires improvement | £1,600 | 9% above |
| Temple Ewell Nursing Home Nursing · Dementia | Dover | CQC: Good | £1,520 | 3% above |
| Whitstable Nursing Home Nursing · Dementia | Whitstable | CQC: Requires improvement | £1,500 | about typical |
“From” is the lowest weekly figure the home has published or confirmed to us, dated on each home’s page. Homes that add or correct a fee appear here within the day.
How Kent compares with nearby areas
| Council area | Residential, a week | Nursing, a week | Homes with fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent | £1,470 | £1,535 | 34 |
| East Sussex | £1,280 | £1,575 | 9 |
| Havering | £1,350 | 3 |
What the fee includes
A care home fee in Kent normally covers the room, meals, laundry, heating and personal care. Nursing homes add care from registered nurses. Hairdressing, chiropody, trips out, newspapers and some toiletries are usually charged on top, so ask for the list of extras before you sign.
Larger rooms, en suites and garden views cost more. Fees are reviewed once a year, usually in April; ask what last year’s increase was.
Who pays in Kent
If you have more than £23,250 in savings and assets you will normally pay the full fee yourself. Below that, Kent council assesses what you can contribute. The value of your home counts unless a partner or certain relatives still live there.
If you need nursing care the NHS pays a weekly contribution direct to the home. People with very high health needs may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which covers the whole fee.
Full guides: who pays, and when the council helps, NHS funded nursing care and Continuing Healthcare.
Care home or live-in care in Kent?
A live-in carer through PrimeCarers typically costs £1,120 a week near Kent for one person and the same carer can look after a couple. The typical residential fee in Kent is £1,470 a week per person, so for a couple live-in care is usually far cheaper than two care home places. Complex live-in care, for higher needs, is typically about £1,344 a week.
39 live-in carers within about an hour of Kent
These are self-employed carers on PrimeCarers, the introductory agency that runs this directory. Each has a profile with their own rates and reviews from families, and you choose who to talk to.
Most charge £980 to £1,260 a week. 33 can care for a couple. 12 years' experience on average.
“Always on time and with a lovely smile for my mum. Theresa is kind and sensitive to my mum's needs.”
“Irene was a very kind and empathetic carer who knew just the right words to say to put a smile on my face.”
Every carer has had an enhanced DBS check in the last 18 months, ID and right-to-work checks and an online interview. Their skills and training are for you to check with them. Carers set their own rates, and who is free changes week to week.
Common questions
How much does a care home in Kent cost a week?
The typical residential care home in Kent charges £1,470 a week and nursing care £1,535, based on 34 homes with a fee on record. Every home page shows where its figure came from and when.
How much does a care home in Kent cost a year?
At £1,470 a week a year in a residential care home comes to about £76,440, and nursing care about £79,820. Most homes raise fees once a year, usually in April.
What is the cheapest care home in Kent?
The Chestnuts Care Home in Gravesend has the lowest published fee we hold for Kent, from £950 a week (residential care). The full table on this page lists every home with a fee on record, cheapest first.
Will Kent council pay for my care home?
If your savings and assets are below £23,250, Kent council will assess your needs and what you can afford, and may pay part or all of the fee. Councils pay a set rate; if the home you choose charges more, a relative or friend may need to pay a top-up. Ask the adult social care team for a needs assessment first.
Is live-in care cheaper than a care home in Kent?
A live-in carer through PrimeCarers typically costs £1,120 a week near Kent, and complex care about £1,344. Against the typical Kent residential fee of £1,470 it is less for one person, and for a couple it is usually much cheaper because one carer looks after both.
Fees last checked October 2026.