The Care Home Manager’s Salary Guide

Becoming a Care Home Manager is an important job that deserves a fair reward.

Understanding your worth is vital to becoming a successful manager in any industry. That’s a fact, we’re not here to dispute that. But to succeed in the care industry takes a very unique set of skills and ‘juggling’ abilities. 

The variety of challenges is vast; you must solve corporate-level problems, make tough decisions daily, get things done quickly, and do it all with a caring touch. You are the shoulder people need to lean on when things become too much and squeeze with gratitude when it all comes together. 

To be fairly compensated for this job is essential and it’s worth looking into what the rest of the industry is paying, to work out where you’re positioned. 

Salaries for Care Home Managers

Depending on whether you have an NVQ/QCF Level 5, a degree in Social Care, haven’t worked in care homes before or are already a Care Home Manager can mean a massive variation in salary bracket. That added to the fact that many care homes are operated privately and can offer very different rates of pay all add up to a large scope. This range is over £50,000, with some starter salaries offering £25,000, through to more experienced positions offering around £80,000. 

According to the National Careers Service, this role can start at £25,000, for an inexperienced applicant and go up to £55,000. That can be higher depending on where you are in the country and if the home is privately run.  

Total Jobs states that the 2023 average salary is £32,500, and Indeed found it to be £56,352 – which is a lot closer to what we’ve found to be a standard salary.

As with a lot of sectors, the pay is better in London, where the average is around £65,000.

There are plenty of online calculators, where you can type in your job title and geographical area and get a rough idea of what a competitive salary is. Then scale it to match your experience. Just search for ‘Care Home Manager salary calculator’.

The NHS groups salaries into ‘bands’; a Care Home Manager role is Band 6. This means earning between £32,000-40,000. Although if you have more specialised qualifications and experience you can move into Band 7 and earn up to £45,000.

Do private sector salaries differ from local authority salaries?

Over 80% of care homes are privately run and generally pay more than council or charity-run care homes. Their budgets are bigger, but it doesn’t mean you can’t earn well in the public/not-for-profit sector. Your career could evolve to running more than one care home, becoming a consultant or training other managers. 

Are Care Home Managers' Salaries Going up?

We have noticed a trend in Care Home Manager salaries going up in recent years. The recognition of this vital role is becoming better acknowledged and securing great leaders is always in demand, so pay has become more competitive.

Employers want qualified and experienced managers who achieve results. We’ve recently seen them work harder to attract and retain those managers through more generous pay and reward schemes. 

How can Care Home Managers negotiate a pay rise?

• When negotiating a pay rise, preparation is key. Make sure you’ve pulled together all the evidence you have for why you are worth a higher salary.
• Do you have anything in writing from residents or their family members about how you’ve impacted their lives? Or just a quote you jotted down can be worth sharing.
• Did you have targets/goals that you’ve achieved? Or have you exceeded what is expected of you?
• Do you have more qualifications now? 
• Have you implemented a change in the way things are run that has had positive results?
• Have you worked a considerable amount of overtime?
• Have you managed all of your budgeting and reporting on time and correctly? 

You should also have examples ready, to discuss how well you know your care home. Discuss the residents you care for, the staff you work with, stakeholders and the community around you. Express your passion for the role during negotiations.   

How to negotiate salary expectations for a new role

When negotiating in a new role, consider the above questions, bringing all the highlights and achievements from your previous job. A new employer will want to know that you’re going to confidently run their home, so be assertive in your negotiations – you are, after all, a manager. 

Also, consider some of the following negotiation techniques:

Back up everything with facts – provide evidence supporting your expectations. Avoid “I believe I deserve X”, instead try “I’ve done some research and have seen that the industry average is X, and I believe with my experience/qualifications, it’s inline to pay me X”

Avoid sharing a figure too soon – ask about the budget range for the role and then suggest a figure based on industry research. You don’t want to negatively impact the negotiations, by sharing a lower figure than they had in mind. 

Sell yourself – Emphasise the benefits you bring the employer. Whilst remaining open to their input and listening. Keep focusing on facts over emotions. 

Consider a pay review – If a negotiation is proving too challenging suggest a pay review be written into your contract at six months. 

Consider the whole package – Would they be willing to discuss holiday days, paying for a qualification you want to study for or a health care package to compensate for a lower salary? 

It’s true what grandmas across the world say: Those who don’t ask, don’t get. 

To learn more about the Social Care sector, Care Home Manager roles and much more register with Social Care People today.