Before going into hospital, Dorothy relied on help from her family to enable her to stay at home. A family member spent 24 hours per day with her, every day. Dorothy cannot be left on her own at all, she has to have someone with her at all times and this is usually Edward, her husband.

If the time given for informal care were costed, then the total cost of Dorothy's care would change.

Informal care can be costed using different rates, as shown below. The figures show costs of care for 1 week and 6 months prior to her hospital admissions with and without informal care, using 4 alternative rates for informal care.

Cost of informal care provided by Dorothy's husband, Edward, for one week using 4 alternative costings

Cost of informal care per week; calculated at 24 hours per day
PSSRU costs @ £32/hour	£5,376.00
Direct payment @ £11.56/hour	£1,942.08
Minimum wage @ £6.08/hour	£1,021.44
Average carer’s wage @ £6.20/hour	£1,041.60

Cost of Dorothy's informal care for 6 months prior to her hospital admission, using 4 alternative rates

Informal care for 24 hours per day every day for 6 months
PSSRU costs @ £32/hour	£139,776.00
Direct payment @ £11.56/hour	£50,494.08
Minimum wage @ £6.08/hour	£26,557.44
Average care’s wage @ £6.20/hour	£27,081.60

Total cost of Dorothy's care for 6 months prior to hospital admission, including informal care, using 4 alternative rates

Care costs without informal care	£9,431.22
Care costs with informal care @ £32/hr	£149,207.20
Care costs with informal care @ £11.56/hr	£59,925.30
Care costs with informal care @ £6.08/hr	£35,988.66
Care costs with informal care @ £6.20/hr	£36,512.82