Care home workforce planning · Updated October 2026
Care hours per resident per day (CHPRD) calculator
Work out your care home’s CHPRD from your shift pattern or weekly rota. See care hours by role, residents per member of staff, and how many extra hours you need to reach a target.
Estimates only. CHPRD is one measure of staffing. Always consider residents’ needs, skill mix and the layout of your home alongside it.
What is CHPRD?
Care hours per resident per day (CHPRD) is the total number of direct care hours worked in a care home over 24 hours, divided by the number of residents. It is used widely in care home workforce planning to set rotas, compare staffing across homes and over time, and check that staffing keeps up with residents’ needs.
It works the same way as care hours per patient day (CHPPD), which NHS hospitals use for wards.
The CHPRD formula
CHPRD = total direct care hours in 24 hours ÷ number of residentsHow to use the CHPRD calculator
- 1Enter your residentsUse the number of people living in the home on the day, not the number of registered beds.
- 2Choose how to enter hoursEnter staff on each day and night shift, or total hours from your weekly rota.
- 3Add your care staffInclude nurses and care staff, plus bank and agency. Choose whether to count activity staff.
- 4Compare with a targetTurn on a target to see the gap in hours and full-time equivalent staff.
CHPRD worked example
A care home has 40 residents and runs 12-hour day and night shifts.
| Role | Day shift | Night shift | Care hours a day | CHPRD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered nurses | 2 | 1 | 36 | 0.90 |
| Care staff | 8 | 4 | 144 | 3.60 |
| Total | 10 | 5 | 180 | 4.50 |
180 care hours ÷ 40 residents = a CHPRD of 4.5. That is 1,260 care hours a week, or about 33.6 full-time staff at 37.5 hours.
Who counts in care hours per resident per day?
Usually included
Registered nurses, nursing associates, senior carers and care assistants giving hands-on care, including bank and agency staff.
Sometimes included
Activity co-ordinators and therapy assistants. Decide your rule and use it every time.
Usually left out
The registered manager when not on the floor, administrators, housekeeping, kitchen, laundry and maintenance staff.
Factors that change the right CHPRD
Residents’ dependency
People needing help with moving, eating or continence need more care hours. A dependency tool helps set your target.
Nursing or residential care
Nursing homes need registered nurse hours on every shift, which raises CHPRD.
Dementia care
People living with dementia may need more supervision and one-to-one support.
Building layout
Homes spread over several floors or units need more staff to keep everyone safe.
Time of day
Mornings and mealtimes are busiest. A good daily CHPRD can still hide gaps at peak times.
Skill mix
The same hours can mean very different care depending on staff experience and training.
CHPRD and CQC safe staffing
There is no legal minimum staffing ratio for care homes in England. Instead, providers must deploy enough suitably qualified, competent and experienced staff to meet people’s needs. CQC inspectors look at how you decide staffing levels, so a CHPRD figure linked to residents’ dependency is useful evidence.
- Review CHPRD regularly, and whenever residents’ needs change.
- Track it alongside falls, incidents, call bell times and agency use.
- Look at day and night shifts separately, not just the daily total.
Assumptions behind the calculator
- Day and night shift lengths are paid hours, excluding unpaid breaks.
- Weekly rota hours are divided by 7 to give a daily average.
- Full-time equivalent is based on 37.5 hours a week.
- Residents means occupied beds. Registered beds are only used for occupancy.
- Residents per staff member counts everyone on shift, not just those giving care at that moment.
Frequently asked questions about CHPRD
What is CHPRD?
CHPRD stands for care hours per resident per day. It is the total number of direct care hours worked in a care home in a day, divided by the number of residents. It is used to plan and compare staffing levels.
How do you calculate care hours per resident per day?
Add up all direct care hours worked over 24 hours, then divide by the number of residents. For example, 180 care hours for 40 residents gives a CHPRD of 4.5.
Who counts in CHPRD?
Usually registered nurses, senior carers and care assistants who give hands-on care. Managers, domestic, kitchen and maintenance staff are normally left out. Homes differ on activity staff, so be consistent.
What is a good CHPRD for a care home?
There is no single national figure in the UK. The right level depends on residents’ needs, the layout of the home, and whether it provides nursing or dementia care. Many providers set their own target using a dependency tool.
Is there a legal minimum staffing ratio for care homes in England?
No. There is no fixed ratio in law. Care homes must have enough suitably qualified, competent and experienced staff to meet people’s needs, and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) checks this at inspection.
What is the difference between CHPRD and CHPPD?
They work the same way. CHPPD (care hours per patient day) is used in NHS hospitals, while CHPRD is used for residents in care homes.
Should agency and bank hours be included?
Yes. Include all hours worked in direct care, whether by permanent, bank or agency staff. Leaving them out understates your real staffing.
Should I use occupied or registered beds?
Use the number of residents actually living in the home on the day (occupied beds). Using registered beds understates care hours when the home is not full.