Caregiver Salary in the UK in 2026: Hourly Rates, Live-In Pay and Sponsorship

The caregiver salary in the UK in 2026 for a care assistant or support worker typically falls in a broad range of about GBP 12 to GBP 14 an hour, or roughly GBP 23,000 to GBP 28,000 a year on a full-time contract, depending on region, employer and shift pattern. Senior carers earn more, live-in carers are paid weekly, and London weighting and weekend enhancements can raise the total.

This guide explains hourly rates by role and region, how live-in and domiciliary care pay differs, what overtime and sleep-in shifts add, and what sponsorship, tax and living costs mean for the headline rate. Care pay is set by employers within the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rules, so every figure here is a typical range that varies by provider.

Care assistant is the common title for staff who support older people and people with disabilities in care homes and in their own homes, helping with personal care, meals, mobility and medication prompts. Support worker is the usual title in learning disability and mental health services, where the role includes supporting independence and community activities. Both titles are paid at similar levels at entry, typically GBP 12 to GBP 13 an hour outside London, with the National Living Wage setting a legal floor that rises each April.

Pay rises with responsibility rather than with the title alone. A care assistant who takes on medication administration, keyworker duties or mentoring of new staff may move to a higher rate within the same employer, and moving to a senior carer post brings a clearer uplift. Experience counts, but the biggest step is usually the move into a senior or team leader post, which requires a relevant qualification such as a Level 3 diploma and a record of reliable practice.

London and the south-east typically pay the highest hourly rates, often GBP 13 to GBP 15 an hour for care assistants, reflecting higher living costs and tighter labour supply. The Midlands and the north typically pay GBP 12 to GBP 13.50 an hour, and Scotland and Wales sit in a similar range, with some local authorities and providers paying above the market rate to fill shortages. Rural posts may pay a similar hourly rate but add mileage payments for travel between clients, which matters in domiciliary care.

The employer type matters as much as the region. Local authority and NHS-linked services often pay at the top of the range with better pensions and sick pay, while private care homes and agencies vary widely. Agency care assistants may be offered GBP 14 to GBP 18 an hour, but agency work carries no guaranteed hours, no paid leave in the same form and irregular income. Compare the annual total on guaranteed hours, not the highest hourly rate quoted in an advert.

Domiciliary care, where carers visit clients in their own homes, is usually paid by the hour plus mileage, and the hours can be fragmented across mornings, evenings and weekends. A carer who is paid only for contact time, not for travel between calls, earns less in practice than the hourly rate suggests, so ask whether travel time is paid and how calls are scheduled. Care homes offer more predictable shift patterns, usually 12-hour or 8-hour shifts, with a clearer weekly total.

Live-in care is paid differently, usually as a weekly rate of about GBP 600 to GBP 850 a week, with accommodation and meals often included while on placement. The effective hourly rate depends on the hours actually worked and the breaks provided, and the arrangement suits carers who can stay away from home for a week or more at a time. Sleep-in shifts in residential settings are paid at a separate sleep-in rate, which is lower than the waking hourly rate, and the rules on sleep-in pay have been disputed in the courts, so check the employer's current policy in the contract.

What to check in a care job offer before comparing hourly rates: guaranteed contracted hours • whether travel time between domiciliary calls is paid • mileage payments • weekend and bank holiday enhancement rates • sleep-in rates and how sleep-in shifts are rostered • pension enrolment and sick pay terms.

Overtime, weekend and bank holiday enhancements add to care pay, though the rates vary by employer and are less standardised than NHS enhancements. Many providers pay time-and-a-half for bank holidays and an enhanced rate for weekends, while others pay a flat rate for all shifts. Night shifts in care homes often carry a small premium, and extra shifts beyond contracted hours are a common way for carers to raise their monthly total.

Deductions reduce gross pay to take-home pay, including income tax, National Insurance and pension contributions under automatic enrolment. Most care workers are enrolled in a workplace pension, and the employer's contribution is a real part of the package even though it does not appear in the monthly payslip. Other costs include travel to work, uniforms in some settings, and, for overseas carers, visa and health surcharge costs. Budget on the net monthly figure after tax and pension, and confirm the contracted hours in writing, because a high hourly rate on few guaranteed hours can mean a low monthly income.

Overseas caregivers working in the UK usually come through the Health and Care Worker route, which requires a sponsor-licensed employer, a qualifying role and an English language test, among other requirements. Immigration rules for care workers have changed several times in recent years, including changes to dependant rules and salary thresholds, so check the current Home Office guidance before making plans. A genuine employer will explain the sponsorship process in writing and will not charge you for the job offer itself.

Registration is not required for most care assistant roles, but the Care Quality Commission regulates providers in England, and equivalent regulators cover Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Before accepting a post, check that the provider is registered with the relevant regulator, read recent inspection reports, and ask about training, supervision and the induction provided. A provider that invests in training and offers a route to senior carer and management posts is usually worth more than a provider offering a slightly higher starting rate with no progression.

If the UK is your target, compare live caregiver vacancies on SteadStaff by region, employer and shift pattern, and check the hourly rate, the guaranteed hours, travel pay and any sponsorship support in the offer. Read the contract for the rate, the hours, the sleep-in and overtime terms and the training offered.

Browse current vacancies and submit your application through SteadStaff, with a CV that shows exact employment dates, hours and care duties so your experience can be assessed properly. A complete, verifiable CV speeds up shortlisting and any sponsorship steps that follow.