Cost scenario
Children’s home registration cost by region
Direct Ofsted registration fees do not vary by region. Whether the single-building home is in central London or rural Northumberland, a 1–3 bed home pays £2,006 in registration fee with no separate Registered Manager fitness fee, and a 4-or-more-beds home pays £3,284 plus a £910 Registered Manager fitness fee. Source: Ofsted's registration fee schedule (updated 1 April 2026; checked 26 October 2026). Multi-building homes have a separate fee band.
For property and staffing, build a budget for the specific address and care model. We do not have a verified regional price dataset for children's-home purchases, conversions or wages, so this page does not assign prices or percentage uplifts to regions.
What to compare in each area
- For a lease, request the lease deposit, rent, rent-review terms and permission for the intended use and works. For a purchase, obtain the purchase price and acquisition costs separately from renovation.
- Get itemised renovation, fire safety and furnishing quotes for the same specification, so work is not counted in more than one line.
- Cost your actual staffing rota using local recruitment quotes, including night cover, employer costs, training and any agency cover.
- Discuss local need with the host local authority and check access to education, health services and transport for the children you intend to care for. Do not infer placement demand from property prices.
Ofsted's location assessment guidance (updated 10 July 2026; checked 26 October 2026) asks you to show local need, suitability for the intended children, access to services and whether you can recruit suitable staff. It also calls for consultation with local bodies, including the police and local authority children's services.
The calculator below uses illustrative allowances, not regional market prices. Its property row covers a lease deposit and non-fire renovation; it excludes purchase price and ongoing rent. Fire safety and furnishing are separate. Replace the allowances with your own quotes rather than applying a regional multiplier. For the line-by-line breakdown, see the full cost calculator.