Care home costs in Suffolk
Weekly fees for 2026, from the homes that publish them. Updated as homes confirm their prices.
There are 196 care homes registered with the CQC in Suffolk, East of England. 7 have a weekly fee on record with us, each dated and traced to where it came from.
The typical residential care home fee in Suffolk is £1,311 a week, about £68,146 a year. The middle half of homes charge between £1,266 and £1,380. That is close to the the East of England average of £1,271. That is close to the England figure of £1,350.
Nursing homes charge more because registered nurses are on site. Across the East of England the typical nursing fee is £1,415 a week. The NHS pays a weekly contribution towards the nursing part of the fee, direct to the home. Dementia care in Suffolk is typically £1,386 a week.
Of the homes with a published fee, St Marys in Ipswich is the least expensive at £1,022 a week and The Willows in Bury St Edmunds the most at £1,470. A gap that size within one council area is normal: the room, the building and whether nursing is included all move the price.
Care homes in Suffolk with a fee on record
| Care home | Town | CQC | From, a week | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Marys Dementia | Ipswich | CQC: Good | £1,022 | 22% below |
| Avocet Court Nursing · Dementia | Ipswich | CQC: Good | £1,250 | 5% below |
| Shaftesbury House Residential Care Home Dementia | Ipswich | CQC: Good | £1,250 | 5% below |
| Cotman House Dementia | Felixstowe | CQC: Good | £1,271 | 3% below |
| Waterfield House Nursing · Dementia | Ipswich | CQC: Good | £1,350 | 3% above |
| Mellish House Residential Home Dementia | Sudbury | CQC: Good | £1,386 | 6% above |
| The Willows | Bury St Edmunds | CQC: Good | £1,470 | 12% above |
“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 Suffolk compares with nearby areas
| Council area | Residential, a week | Nursing, a week | Homes with fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk | £1,311 | 7 | |
| Norfolk | £1,000 | £1,554 | 9 |
| Essex | £1,375 | 16 | |
| Cambridgeshire | £1,000 | 4 |
What the fee includes
A care home fee in Suffolk 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 Suffolk
If you have more than £23,250 in savings and assets you will normally pay the full fee yourself. Below that, Suffolk 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.
Care home or live-in care in Suffolk?
A live-in carer through PrimeCarers costs from about £1,120 a week for one person and the same carer can look after a couple. The typical residential fee in Suffolk is £1,311 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 from about £1,344 a week.
How live-in care worksCommon questions
How much does a care home in Suffolk cost a week?
The typical residential care home in Suffolk charges £1,311 a week, based on 7 homes with a fee on record. Every home page shows where its figure came from and when.
How much does a care home in Suffolk cost a year?
At £1,311 a week a year in a residential care home comes to about £68,146, and nursing care about £73,554. Most homes raise fees once a year, usually in April.
What is the cheapest care home in Suffolk?
St Marys in Ipswich has the lowest published fee we hold for Suffolk, from £1,022 a week (care home fees). The full table on this page lists every home with a fee on record, cheapest first.
Will Suffolk council pay for my care home?
If your savings and assets are below £23,250, Suffolk 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 Suffolk?
Standard live-in care costs from about £1,120 a week and complex care from about £1,344. Against the typical Suffolk residential fee of £1,311 it is less for one person, and for a couple it is usually much cheaper because one carer looks after both.
Fees last checked August 2026.