Cheaper alternatives to Delamere
The short answer
A 28-day stay at Delamere costs £12,000–£18,000 — about £3,000–£4,500 a week. Comparable CQC-registered clinics run the same 28-day abstinence programme from around £4,500. What you give up is setting, staff ratio and insurer network status, not the clinical programme.
Call 0800 000 0000 for a confirmed priceWhat it costs
| Option | Detox | 28 days |
|---|---|---|
| Delamere (the benchmark) Premium · Purpose-built single site, Cheshire | £4,500–£7,500 | £12,000–£18,000 |
| Abbeycare Mid-market · Scotland and Gloucestershire | £2,500–£4,500 | £4,500–£10,000 |
| The Providence Projects Mid-market · Bournemouth, Dorset | £2,500–£4,500 | £4,500–£10,000 |
| Broadway Lodge Mid-market · Weston-super-Mare, Somerset | £2,500–£4,500 | £4,500–£10,000 |
| UKAT Mid-market · Group of residential centres across England | £2,500–£5,000 | £5,000–£12,000 |
| Sanctuary Lodge Mid-market · Halstead, Essex | £2,500–£5,000 | £5,000–£11,000 |
| Castle Craig Premium · Peeblesshire, Scotland | £4,000–£7,000 | £10,000–£18,000 |
These are market ranges gathered across CQC-registered UK providers, not quotes. Only the clinic can confirm a final price, and it depends on your assessment. Prices checked July 2026.
Which alternative suits which situation
Abbeycare
Mid-market · Scotland and Gloucestershire
£4,500–£10,000 / 28 days
Scottish self-funders who want to stay in Scotland
The Providence Projects
Mid-market · Bournemouth, Dorset
£4,500–£10,000 / 28 days
Longer treatment on a mid-market budget — extended stays are part of the model
Broadway Lodge
Mid-market · Weston-super-Mare, Somerset
£4,500–£10,000 / 28 days
Charity-sector pricing with a long clinical history
UKAT
Mid-market · Group of residential centres across England
£5,000–£12,000 / 28 days
Self-funders who want a full 28-day residential programme without premium pricing
Sanctuary Lodge
Mid-market · Halstead, Essex
£5,000–£11,000 / 28 days
London and East of England self-funders wanting a short journey
Castle Craig
Premium · Peeblesshire, Scotland
£10,000–£18,000 / 28 days
Long stays — Castle Craig routinely treats for 6–12 weeks, which suits severe dependence
We are a referral service, not a clinic, and we are not affiliated with Delamere or any provider named here. Figures are market ranges we have gathered; each clinic confirms its own price after assessment.
Cheaper routes that are not a residential clinic
- Detox only, then outpatient therapy. A 7–10 day medically managed detox followed by weekly private therapy costs a fraction of 28 days residential, and works when home is stable.
- NHS community treatment. Free and clinically real, but funded residential placement means a panel decision and a wait of months. See free and council-funded rehab.
- A shorter stay at the premium clinic. Two weeks at Delamere can cost less than four weeks elsewhere and still cover detox and stabilisation, with a higher relapse risk.
- Insurance. If your policy covers addiction, the premium tier may cost only an excess — check before ruling it out on price.
Common questions
What is the cheapest alternative to Delamere?
Mid-market CQC-registered clinics run a full 28-day residential programme from around £4,500, against £12,000–£18,000 at Delamere. Abbeycare sits at that end. Below that price the honest options are NHS community treatment, a detox-only admission, or intensive private outpatient therapy — not a cheaper residential bed.
What do you give up by not going to Delamere?
Mostly setting, staff ratio, private rooms and on-site consultant psychiatry. The core clinical work — medically managed detox, group therapy, one-to-one sessions, relapse prevention and aftercare — is delivered at mid-market clinics too, and several of them run longer stays as standard.
Are cheaper clinics regulated to the same standard as Delamere?
Yes. Every clinic listed here is registered with the CQC in England or the Care Inspectorate in Scotland and inspected against the same regulations. Price reflects setting and medical cover, not a lower legal standard.
When is Delamere worth the extra money?
When there is a psychiatric diagnosis alongside the addiction, when the detox is medically complex, or when private medical insurance would fund Delamere but not an independent clinic. In those cases the premium buys medical cover rather than comfort.
How quickly can I be admitted to one of these alternatives?
Usually 24 to 72 hours: telephone assessment, clinic choice, funding confirmed, admission. Holding two clinics rather than one is what keeps that timescale realistic when a bed goes.
Next steps
Delamere cost in full
28-day and weekly prices, and who it suits.
Compare every clinic price
Named UK providers, side by side.
Monthly payment plans
Spreading the cost of a private stay.
Insurance-funded rehab
When the premium tier costs you an excess.
Free and council-funded rehab
The honest picture on NHS-funded placement.