How to set your hourly rate as a micro provider

Pricing your care fairly — for you and for your clients — is one of the trickiest decisions you'll make when you start out. Set it too low and the work isn't sustainable; too high and you may struggle to find clients. Here's a simple way to land on a rate that works.

Start with your local market

Research what other micro providers and care agencies in your area charge. Agency rates are a useful upper marker. Bear in mind that an hourly rate isn't take-home pay: as a self-employed provider you cover your own costs, tax, unpaid travel and time off, so compare rates on that basis rather than against an employed hourly wage.

Ask about direct payment rates

Get in touch with your Local Authority and ask what the direct payment rate is. Some authorities set different rates for direct payments, and knowing these helps you pitch your rate where clients using their personal budget can actually afford you.

Don't forget your costs

Your rate has to cover more than your time. Insurance, mileage, phone, training and CPD all add up. Tracking these — MicroProviders Care will include a simple operating-costs tool at launch — makes it obvious whether your rate is genuinely paying you what you think it is.

Review it regularly

Your rate isn't set in stone. As your experience grows, your costs change, or demand in your area shifts, revisit it. A yearly review is a healthy habit — and far easier than it sounds once your records are all in one place.