How much do family caregivers get paid in Illinois?
Around $18–$20/hr — and here is what moves that number.
Your pay is not a posted wage. It comes out of a care budget that Illinois sets from your relative's assessed needs, which is why two caregivers in the same town can be paid differently.
What Illinois pays family caregivers
$18–$20/hr
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Illinois Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
What sets your number
CCP: caregiver must be hired and supervised by a contracted In-Home Services agency; HSP: consumer-directed — customer hires the personal assistant directly and the state handles payroll; MFTD: parent-nurse employed via nursing agency
- Spouse can be paid?
- Sometimes
- Parent paid for a child?
- Sometimes
- Waitlist
- Some programs have no waitlist.
Where the money comes from
This is Medicaid money, not a grant and not a charity. In Illinois it runs through Community Care Program (CCP), Home Services Program (HSP), MFTD Waiver (children), administered by Illinois Dept. on Aging (CCP; Senior HelpLine 800-252-8966); IDHS Division of Rehabilitation Services (HSP; 877-581-3690); HFS is the Medicaid agency
2.3 million people in Illinois — 18% of the state — are 65 or older, spread across 102 counties. The programs on this page exist because caring for them at home costs the state far less than a nursing home does.
From first call to first paycheck
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions tell you which Illinois program fits, and roughly what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + care assessment
Illinois confirms your relative qualifies and how much help they need. The hours in that assessment become your paid hours.
- after approval
Enrol and hire
Your relative enrols, then names you as their caregiver. Background check, paperwork, done.
- every pay period
Get paid
You log the hours you already work and are paid for them, like any job.
How to start in Illinois: Age 60+: call the Senior HelpLine 800-252-8966 to reach the local Care Coordination Unit for a CCP assessment; under 60: apply through the local DHS-DRS Home Services Program office; medically fragile children: contact UIC DSCC.
Illinois pay questions, answered honestly
How much do family caregivers get paid in Illinois?
Figures reported for Illinois land around $18–$20/hr, but that is a range, not a promise. Your rate is set inside your relative's care plan and budget. We tell you your real number before you enroll.
What decides my exact hourly rate?
Three things: how much help your relative is assessed as needing, which Illinois program they are on, and who administers the payroll. CCP: caregiver must be hired and supervised by a contracted In-Home Services agency; HSP: consumer-directed — customer hires the personal assistant directly and the state handles payroll; MFTD: parent-nurse employed via nursing agency
How many hours a week can I be paid for?
Hours come from the care assessment, not from how many you actually work. That is the single biggest thing families get wrong — an honest assessment is worth more than any negotiation later. We help you prepare for it.
Is family caregiver pay taxable?
Usually yes — it is normally treated as wages, with taxes withheld. One exception is worth asking about: the IRS difficulty-of-care rule can make some payments tax-free when the caregiver lives with the person receiving care.
Can I be paid to care for my spouse in Illinois?
limited — CCP: yes, any family member including a spouse may be hired (recent expansion, via agency with background check + 24-hr training); HSP: no, spouses excluded as legally responsible relatives There is a full page on this: see spousal caregiver pay in Illinois.
Can a parent be paid for caring for their own child in Illinois?
limited — HSP excludes parents of a minor recipient; MFTD waiver pays parents who hold an RN/LPN license for skilled nursing (paid-CNA parent option proposed 2025, not yet approved)
Is there a waitlist in Illinois?
generally no waitlist — CCP and HSP enroll eligible applicants without waiver waitlists
How do I apply in Illinois?
Age 60+: call the Senior HelpLine 800-252-8966 to reach the local Care Coordination Unit for a CCP assessment; under 60: apply through the local DHS-DRS Home Services Program office; medically fragile children: contact UIC DSCC.
Married and caring for your husband or wife? Read the spouse rules for Illinois →
Sources: ilaging.illinois.gov · dhs.state.il.us · dscc.uic.edu · Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Updated September 2026. Rates change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Illinois caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Illinois — pick yours for the local picture.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.