datavaultai.co.uk/caregiver-cost-calculator — free tool
Free tool · no account · print with your name and email
What is caring for someone actually costing you?
Most families cannot answer this, which is exactly why the argument about money never gets settled. This works it out in about two minutes — the hours you give, the money you spend, and what replacing that care would cost. Free to use, no account needed. Add your name and email when you want to print it.
1. The hours you give
Estimate honestly. Most people underestimate by half.
Weekly time
2. What you pay for
Independent living costs are not your caregiving. Only include what you cover because of their needs.
Monthly, in pounds
3. What you gave up
Optional — but this is usually the largest number, and the one nobody counts.
Choose your own hourly value
What it adds up to
What to do with this
Based on your numbers — the things that actually move this.
We keep your address only to send occasional related guides, and you can ask us to delete it any time. No account, no tracking.
Add your name and email above to unlock printing.
Now that you know the number
Three free tools that cover what usually comes next.
The five hard conversations
Word-for-word openers for money, driving, moving and getting help — including how to raise cost without it becoming a fight.
Emergency sheetIf you were hit by a bus tomorrow
One page listing every account, who to call, and where the vault lives — so nobody is locked out when it matters.
Free printableFour-week balance tracker
A one-page plan for the thing that causes most care needs in the first place — falling over.
Common questions
Work and benefits questions that come up once people see their number.
How much does it cost to care for a parent in the UK?
There is no single figure, because most of the cost is unpaid time rather than money. A carer giving 20 hours a week is providing roughly 87 hours a month, which an agency would charge in the region of £3,000 a month to replace. On top of that come travel, prescriptions, equipment and any income given up. The calculator above works out both the hours and the money from your own answers.
Am I entitled to a carer's assessment?
In England, yes, if you provide regular unpaid care for someone aged 18 or over. It is free, it is a legal right under the Care Act 2014, and you can ask your local authority for one whether or not the person you care for has had their own assessment. The assessment can lead to respite, equipment, training and in some cases a direct payment.
Is Attendance Allowance means-tested?
No. Attendance Allowance is not means-tested and does not depend on a diagnosis. It is paid to the person who needs help, not to the carer, and it is based on how much help they need with daily living — washing, dressing, meals, medication or supervision. Claiming it can also open the door to other support, including a carer's allowance and council tax reduction.
What is Carer's Credit and do I need it?
Carer's Credit is not a payment. It is a National Insurance credit that protects your State Pension while you are caring for 20 hours a week or more and not earning enough to pay National Insurance. It is easy to miss and it is worth real money in retirement, so it is worth checking alongside Carer's Allowance.
Do I have to give up work to care for someone?
Not necessarily. In the UK you have the right to request flexible working from the first day of a new job, and there is a legal right to unpaid time off for dependants in an emergency. Many people move straight to leaving a job when a flexible-hours request would have solved it, so it is worth asking before deciding.
Can I print or save my results?
Yes. Add your name and email and the print button unlocks, so you can print the one-page summary or save it as a PDF. The calculator itself is free and needs no account — the calculation runs in your browser.