Planning a simple, repeatable linen budget for Care Homes
A step‑by‑step guide to building a simple, repeatable linen budget: Planning your annual linen budget doesn't need to be complicated. It's about turning what you already know, like how many beds you run, how often you change them, and how long items last, into a clear, reliable linen cost formula for your care home.
1. Start with occupied beds
Base your linen budget on occupied beds, not policy. Note your average occupancy, confirm your standard linen set (bed linen and towel bundle), and decide how many full sets you need in rotation so every room stays safely stocked.
2. Map what really happens
Track your real change patterns, not just what is written in policy. Count how often you change beds and towels in practice, including extra changes for spills, illness or end of life care, to reflect true care home linen usage.
3. Know how long things last
Estimate lifespan by category to plan linen replacement. Towels and sheets usually wear out fastest, while duvets, pillows and protectors last longer. As a simple guide, use heavy use towels for 12 to 24 months and core bedding for 2 to 3 years under normal care home laundry conditions.
4. Separate owning from washing
To see the real cost of linen management, split your linen spending into two parts: Owning and 'Washing'.
Owning = your annual linen replacements and top ups across towels, sheets, duvets and protectors.
Washing = your laundry and linen processing costs, whether in house or outsourced. Adjust for real usage, stock levels and any price changes.
5. Work out your “per bed, per year” cost
Add owning and washing costs together, then divide by your average occupied beds. This gives a linen cost per occupied bed, per year. It is a simple number that is easy to track, compare across units and explain to finance.
6. Set your quality standard
Decide where you sit on quality for your care home linen, whether that is basic care grade, mid weight, or more hotel style softness. Write it down as a clear standard. It keeps future linen orders consistent, supports resident comfort and protects your quality levels when budgets are reviewed.
7. Aim for predictable, not perfect
With this step by step guide to building a simple, repeatable linen budget, your linen spend moves from guesswork to a stable, resilient plan. It is built around real occupancy, clear quality choices and the way your home actually runs day to day.
